The beginning of our forever
by Princess Ly
Summary: Well this is really just a sequel I wrote to Breaking Dawn. I basically continued the lives of Bella, Edward, Renesme/ Nessie , Jacob and of course the other Cullens. Please Review! Thx!
1. School Shmool

I thought about the last seven years of my life as I flew about the kitchen preparing the ingredients for Nessie's breakfast

The Beginning of our Forever

_Ok so after reading Breaking Dawn through twice I decided I wasn't quite finished with the characters! Let me know what you all think!!_

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Twilight. It all belongs to the incredible Stephenie Meyer…although I wish I was her!

Chapter 1:

I thought about the day ahead as I flew around the kitchen, trying to remain calm as I prepared Nessie's breakfast. The familiar sound of eggs frying was soothing, a reminder of my previous life. My human life. The last seven years had been long but not in a bad way. When you never have to waste time with trifle things like sleep the days were endless, merging into one another, blurring together so that it was difficult to tell when one day ends and a new one begins. However I was not complaining, not at all. These last seven years had been, without a doubt, the best seven years of my life-no existence. After the Volturi had left everything had simply fallen into place, drifting into a comfortable pattern. We spent two exceptional years in Forks, living peacefully in our little cottage. Edward, Nessie and I had stayed safely away from the small town, taking refuge in our own private fairy tale. Since most of the town (except for my father, Charlie) was under the impression that Edward and I were attending Dartmouth and the fact that nobody (besides Charlie, Sue, Billy, and the La Push pack) knew of Nessie's existence, these measures were necessary. And yet there had never been a dull day, what with raising Nessie, and enjoying visits from my father and of course Jake and his pack. We also received frequent visits from Nahuel and his aunt; the Volturi had yet to catch up with his father. We had been quite content with our life in Forks, however after those two memorable years, we realized it was time for us to move on. Saying goodbye to Charlie had not been nearly as hard as I had imagined it would be. The thought of him having Sue was comforting as well as the prospect that this separation was not entirely permanent. Every holiday, and even some weekends the Cullens discreetly returned to Forks, (a fact that most of the town was not exactly aware of) to visit Charlie. When we had told Jake of our plans to leave, he had stubbornly refused to be left behind. Instead he had followed us to Denali, leaving his pack behind in La Push to help Sam. Since he had graduated from High School, and was now a legal adult there was nothing to stop him from coming with us, despite my best efforts to make him stay with Billy. I had been worried about how the Denali clan would react to Jacob staying with us, and how Jacob would fare without his pack. I was shocked and pleased when Tanya and her family welcomed us all with open arms, treating Jake like he belonged in a household of vampires. However my surprise was nothing compared to how I felt when I realized that Jacob had become a true member of the Cullen family. Our friendship had always been natural, as easy as breathing, but I never expected-or even dreamed- that he could fit in so easily with my vampire family. Over the five years we had passed in Denali, Jake had grown close to every one of the Cullens, becoming almost a son to Edward and me. Even his relationship with Rosalie was no different than that between a brother and a sister who couldn't stand to be around each other. Now that we were settled in Nunavut, Canada, there was no denying that Jacob belonged in our family. I stared at the light blue walls of our kitchen, my sharp eyes unconsciously searching for a flaw, while my mind wandered. Edward, Nessie and I lived in our own small house, roughly the same size as our cottage, not a hundred yards from the big, white mansion the rest of the Cullens inhabited. Although we had only been here for a month, Kugluktuk was really starting to feel like home. Although there were barely any trees, the small town, and cold weather, had a comforting similarity to Forks. I heard the back door open quietly, announcing Jacob's entrance. Jake lived in a small cabin directly behind our house that he and Edward had built when we first moved here. Although he ate and hung out mostly at our place, I had thought it was necessary that he have a small home to call his own. Jacob's footsteps interrupted my thoughts as he entered the kitchen.

"Mmmmm! Smells good Bells!" he said, sniffing appreciatively as he sat down. I smiled at him as I flipped a couple of omelets on his plate, beside a platter of bacon.

"Where is Nessie?" he asked curiously, between mouthfuls. I open the cupboard under the sink, opening the small fridge hidden there before I answered.

"Edward is waking her up." I listened to Edward's murmured pleas to our daughter in the other room, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

"Or he's trying to." I clarified, as I typed in the combination on the keypad. The door swung open with a small _click_. Jake raised his eyebrows as I removed a bag of the donated blood from the semi-concealed fridge.

"I am just trying to make today easier," I explained defensively, "She was so nervous last night!"

Jake nodded, his eyebrows pulling together casting his dark eyes in shadow.

"I don't know why! I mean its just school!"

"Its only, _just school,_ to you Jake," I said gently, "This is a big deal to her!"

"School, Shmool." He muttered. I poured the blood into a glass and placed it beside Nessie's plate. My sensitive ears heard Edward's relieved sigh as he succeeded in waking Nessie. I looked up a moment before he entered the room. He was wearing a white long sleeve shirt and khaki pants, his tousled bronze hair framed his beautiful inhuman face. He carried a still half-asleep, pajama clad Nessie in his strong arms, her head resting on his shoulder. He smiled triumphantly at me and Jacob; waking Nessie was always a chore. Jacob's face glowed as he stared at Renesme. Even though our daughter was technically only seven years old she was finished growing, however she was still simply the size of a small sixteen year old. Edward set her down upright in the chair beside Jacob. She glowered moodily at her plate, before picking up her fork. I sighed inwardly. Although Renesme was fully grown, and she was smarter than most human adults, she was currently going through a typical bout of adolescence. Her moods were constantly changing, and it was much harder to keep her happy. Nevertheless I was secretly pleased. To me, every single one of her mood swings simply highlights how human she can be and it gives me hope that Nessie will be able blend in quite easily out in the normal world. The human world. I watched my daughter intently, as she focused on eating her eggs. Now that she was older she wasn't as averse to human food as she had been. She still preferred to drink blood-preferably donated human blood- however she was less reluctant to eat certain foods. The meals she would eat, however usually fell under the category of junk food, the only exception being eggs. It was kind of a private joke between Edward and I, since eggs had been my primary food group when I was pregnant with her. Nessie glanced up as I studied her, scowling immediately at my scrutinizing gaze.

"You're not going to school like that, are you?" I teased, trying to lighten her mood. I glanced meaningfully at her pajamas and unruly bronze curls. Nessie hated to be woken up in the morning, preferring to sleep in.

"Auntie Alice is coming over to get me dressed," She grumbled, refusing to be pulled from her surly mood. I glanced at Edward, silently pleading for some help.

"So what had you up so late last night?" he asked, interpreting my glance.

"I was reading Wuthering Heights!" She mumbled.

"Again!" He cried, exasperated, shaking his head, "What you and your mother find so fascinating about that book is beyond me!" I laughed lightly, winking at him, before turning around to start the dishes. I filled the sink with warm soapy water, before immersing the dishes. I sighed contently at the pleasant warmth, as the soft suds clung to my marble skin. Edward grabbed a dish towel, and proceeded to dry the pan I had been scrubbing. As I submerged another pan, a thought occurred to me.

"Oh Nessie! I forgot to tell you!" I exclaimed, turning around to face her. She glanced up, her beautiful face startled.

"You have to eat some food today at lunch!" I explained, "If you want to appear totally human, you are going to have to fake some enthusiasm at lunch."

She huffed heavily, before returning to her eggs. At that moment Alice breezed into the room, a small package tucked under her thin arm.

"Urgh! You're a mess!" she complained when she noticed Renesme, "Hurry up! I only have half an hour to make you presentable!"

Nessie brightened immediately at the thought. Unlike me, my daughter enjoyed Alice's pampering. She stood up hurriedly, swigging the contents of her glass. She set the cup down gently on the table before turning to follow Alice.

"Wait!" Jake, who had been silent throughout the meal, called jumping to his feet.

"I'm going to leave soon, so I won't be here when Alice is finished with you!" He leaned over to brush his lips against her forehead.

"Have a good day!" he said, winking.

"Thanks," she muttered, a small crease forming between her eyes as she stared at her feet.

"You'll do fine!" he assured her, tilting her face up gently with his hand so he could look her in the eye.

"Come on, come on!" Alice chanted anxiously. My daughter met Jake's eyes for a brief moment, before nodding once and allowing herself to be towed away by an agitated Alice.

Jake stared after her, then turned to face Edward and I.  
"Well I'm off!" he said cheerfully. Jacob was starting his first day at his new job in the small mechanics store.

"Um, actually I'd prefer if you didn't take the camaro." Edward said answering one of Jake's thoughts. "We still have to remain a little inconspicuous."

I sighed as Jacob's face fell. Of course Jacob would want to take his fancy new car, Edward and I had bought him for Christmas.

"Of course you don't have to walk!" Edward exclaimed, surprised. I assumed he was answering another of Jake's thoughts." You can take the Volvo."

Jake grinned, flashing his white teeth.

"Cool! Thanks Edward!"

I listened to Jake's retreating footsteps as he raced to the garage. I pulled the plug in the sink, letting the water drain noisily.

"That was nice of you." I commented idly.

"Hmmm…" he studied my face curiously, a feverish gleam in his liquid eyes.

"Do you know what I just thought of?" he asked.

"No. What?" I whispered.

He lifted me gently onto the counter top, wrapping his arms securely around my waist.

"We are all alone. And it sounds like Alice will be busy with Nessie for a little while."

"Oh, is that so?" I asked lightly, entwining my hands in his hair as I pulled him closer.

He leaned towards me, his golden eyes smoldering, as our lips touched.

Please Review! Let me know what you guys think!! Thanks!


	2. Schedules

Chapter 2:

Disclaimer: Once again I own nothing related to Twilight.

Chapter 2:

As we pulled into the small school parking lot, I turned slightly towards my daughter trying to catch a glimpse of her face. She was staring anxiously out the window, her pale forehead resting against the cool glass. She had been calm throughout the short fifteen minute drive into town but as we had neared the school, her heart rate had increased drastically. I could hear it clearly, a soft, quick rhythm, faster than that of a humming bird's. I cleared my throat softly, throwing a meaningful glance towards the front seat Jasper occupied. Immediately a blanket of calm surrounded us, and I was relieved to hear Nessie's heart slow down to its normal pace.

Edward pulled smoothly into a parking space near the front door, before cutting the engine on our new suburban. With the seven of us in school there was no possible way we could all fit into the Volvo. I climbed out gracefully, and turned to grab Edward's marble hand.

The sense of ease and tranquility followed us as we weaved our way through the crowded main hallway, our destination being the office. I was used to the stares and whispers, but Renesme wasn't. I listened intently, focusing on her heartbeat alone, trying to gauge her reaction to the entire gawking student body. I was relieved to hear the steady fluttering of her heart-no faster than usual- and was once again grateful for Jasper's gift.

As we entered the small office I had a sudden feeling of déjà vu. The small space was taken up by a short row of folding chairs, and a large gray desk. Behind the desk a kind-looking woman tapped away at a whirring computer behind a small name plate announcing her as Ms.Wyler. She wore a thick wool sweater; her light brown hair highlighted with gray was pulled back into sloppy bun. She smiled when we entered, glancing up automatically. Her expression faltered, as her eyes widened incredulously at our beauty. I sighed softly before stepping closer to the front desk, pulling Edward with me.

"Hi," I said, smiling brightly. Too late, I realized that flashing my extremely white, venomous teeth (although she didn't quite know they were venomous) may not exactly help her recover from the shock.

"Uh…hi" she managed to stutter, before trying to rearrange her features into a kind smile once more. She didn't quite succeed; her eyes still had a dazed, bewildered look.

"How can I help you?" She seemed intent on treating us like all of the other students. My smile widened, at least she was trying.

"We're new students here," I explained, keeping my voice light and casual.

"Names?" she asked turning towards her computer.

"We aren't registered yet." I answered, "But we have our papers and transcripts." I added quickly before she could protest.

"Alright. I will need to see them." She consented nodding to herself. I held my hand out to Edward, who slid the bundle of official-looking papers into my hand. Her eyes bulged as she studied Edward's face, her smile completely sliding off her face. I didn't need to read minds to understand what she was thinking. I could understand her awe and admiration only too well. I felt the emotion in the room shift, as her anxiety and shock were instantly replaced by calm. I smirked; apparently Ms.Wyler had just been subjected to Jasper's convenient little talent.

"I am going to need to see your birth certificates and records from your last school." She said, avoiding eye contact all together. I passed her our new "birth certificates" that I had purchased from J just six weeks ago. She scanned them quickly and entered the information on her computer.

"So where are you all from?" She asked inquiringly, continuing to avert her eyes.  
"Forks, Washington." Jasper answered, smiling slightly. She nodded, still focused on her computer screen.

"You're a long way from home," She murmured.

"Yes, we are." Jasper agreed.

"Can I see your records?" She asked, holding out her hand without turning toward us.

"Of course!" I said, giving her the papers Emmett and Alice had forged, saying we were transfers from Forks High School. She entered that information in her computer as well, before opening up a file labeled _Junior schedules_.

"Who are the juniors?" she asked hesitantly, turning to face us slowly.

"Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett," I said, pointing to each of them as I mentioned their name. She nodded, tearing her eyes from their faces, before pressing the _print_ button three times.

"And who are the sophomores?" she continued, as she retrieved the freshly printed pages.

"Edward, Alice and myself." I answered, as Edward and Alice both waved. She didn't even look up as she opened another file and printed three more schedules.

"And Renesme is a freshman." I explained before she could ask.

"Renesme." She repeated curiously, as she printed a different schedule, "What an interesting name. It's pretty though." She risked a fleeting look at my daughter's flushed face.

"Yeah, it is," Renesme mumbled, glancing at me.

"Well hear you are." The secretary said, passing us our schedules, "You can choose any of the empty lockers down the hall."

I glimpsed down at my schedule, going over the courses. How ironic, I thought smiling to myself, my first class was English.

"Um, well, that is everything," Ms.Wyler announced, "If you have any problems feel free to come and see me."

"Thank you," Alice said, beaming. The secretary glanced up, startled by Alice's voice. She looked from Alice to Edward, her unfocused eyes lingering on his face longer than was strictly necessary.

"Uh, yeah, your welcome." She muttered edging towards the door at the back of the room, labeled _Teacher's Lounge_. Alice's grin widened, as she turned gracefully, caught Jasper's hand and flitted from the room. Rosalie, Emmett and Renesme filed out after them, leaving just as gracefully. I was about to leave too when I noticed Edward was not with me. I turned around quickly, an irrational panic threatening to engulf me. He had not moved an inch. He stood frozen in the same spot, a look of concentration on his perfect face as he scanned his new timetable.

"One moment please Bella," He murmured, much too low for Ms.Wyler's ears.

"Excuse me," he said politely to the receptionist. She was hovering by the lounge door, clearly debating whether or not to flee. She glanced up involuntarily, as though she couldn't help but respond to his voice-and to be honest, I was pretty sure that was exactly the case. She settled for staring at the small part of skin, at the base of his throat exposed by the V-neck of his thick sweater, instead of risking looking him in the eye.

"Yes?" she answered meekly.

"Well you see I have a problem with my schedule," he explained, his velvet voice unintentionally seductive. I could clearly hear the poor lady's heart miss a beat before breaking into a sprint.

"Oh?" she managed to choke out. Edward waited patiently, clearly wanting her to look up. She met his steady gaze resignedly, almost unwillingly, as though she would somehow be giving in. In my peripheral vision I saw the corners of Edward's mouth twitch, like he was fighting a smile. The movement was so infinitesimal, that anyone who didn't know him as well as I do would never have noticed. He lowered his gaze, hiding beneath his long lashes, before releasing the full power of his smoldering eyes on the unprepared receptionist.

"You see Bella is new to our family," he explained, his soft voice irresistible. "And since we aren't in the same classes, I think she might find this transition harder."

I nodded timidly. I was going for more of a shy, demure kind of look but I just felt pretty pathetic.

"I think Bella would be more comfortable and secure in her new school if she started with at least one friend in her classes." Edward continued, flashing my favourite crooked grin.

"Of-of course," she stuttered, her breathing uneven. She began typing away fervently, before printing another class schedule. She gave it to Edward hastily without saying another word. I smiled in thanks, before heading for the exit, Edward's smooth, marble hand clasped tightly in mine.

When we were finally out in the empty hallway, I turned to face him.

"More comfortable and secure?" I asked him sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"Why yes, we don't want to make this any harder on you," he said, his topaz eyes solemn. I laughed softly, delighting in the sound. Even after all this time, I was still thrilled with my soft, appealing laugh.

"You know if she has a heart attack right now it is your fault entirely!" I told him sternly, trying to be severe.

"Not entirely. She had some pretty vivid fantasies herself."

"Oh? Is that what was so amusing? What was she thinking about anyways?" I asked teasingly, squeezing his hand. We were almost at the end of the hallway where the rest of our family was picking out their lockers.

"Me," he answered snickering.

I raised my eyebrows in confusion. I didn't see where the humor was in that.

"She was having thoughts about me," he clarified, his liquid eyes bright, "Highly inappropriate thoughts, considering the fact that she believes I am only sixteen."

I decided I did _not_ want to know what those thoughts were.

_Hey guys! Sorry it took so log to update! I hope you guys like it and I will try and get the third chapter up a.s.a.p!! Please review and let me know what you guys think! I love hearing your opinions! A special thanks to lenny85!! I am always forgetting to indent my paragraphs (it drives my English teacher crazy!!) so thanks for the reminder!! I hope this is better!_

_Princess Ly_


	3. Chocolate Cake

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight! No matter how much I wish I did, it all belongs to the incredible Stephenie Meyer!!

Chapter 3:

The rest of the morning passed uneventfully. I went to English class, followed by Calculus. Even with Edward seated beside me, commenting softly on the thoughts of our fellow classmates, High School was insufferably tedious the second time round. I was surprised to find that Calculus, which had once presented a challenge, was now extremely simple. I wasn't sure if it was merely because I had already done it, or if my sharper, vampire mind was the answer, but all of a sudden calculus made sense.

When I was bored with listening to the average worries and problems of the rest of the students-which was frequently- I would ask Edward for a detailed account of how Renesme was doing in her own classes. Edward reassured me numerous times that she was fine and even making some friends but I still worried about her. Although my daughter was as mature as any sixteen year old physically, and she was more competent mentally than most humans, to me she was still my baby. The thing that worried me the most however, was the fact that she could unconsciously slip and accidentally expose us all for what we really are. My entire family was positive that she was more than capable of keeping our secret; I was the only one with the doubts-though I hid them carefully from her. Edward and I walked down the hallway hand in hand, ignoring the excited whispers and fascinated stares. I thought back to this morning, smiling slightly at the recent memory, when I had drilled Renesme relentlessly about our story.

"_Nessie just one more time, please" I begged, as we climbed into the back seat of the suburban._

"_Oh fine!" she huffed, buckling her seat belt with a sharp _click.

"_Daddy, Uncle Emmett and…" she trailed off uncertainly as she looked at my face. I glared at her pointedly, raising my eyebrows, waiting for her to realize her mistake. She rolled her eyes; looking so much like Edward it was almost comical, before continuing._

"_Edward, Emmett, Alice and I are all adopted by Gran-Carlise and Esme." She recited in a dead, monotone voice, emphasizing the names._

_I nodded, silently encouraging her to carry on._

"_I am Edward's younger sister," she continued in the same dead tone. We had decided the resemblance between her and Edward was too distinct to hide._

"_Rosalie and Jasper Hale are twins under the foster care of Carlisle and Esme, and Jacob is simply a family friend who is staying with us." She took a deep breath, before glancing up at me._

"_And you momma, are the daughter of Esme's best friend, who is currently staying with our family, because your parents are going through a divorce and things are hard at home. But you are still considered part of the family." She finished with a small smile._

"_Good job honey!_," _I murmured, my mind elsewhere, "Now when you tell people the story, try and sound convincing, not bored!" She grinned before turning to stare at the overcast sky_. _I suppose I could have pretended to_ _be a foster child with Rose and Jasper but I just couldn't. When Esme had asked what my story would be I hadn't exactly known what we would say, but I knew for certain that we could not tell everyone my parents were dead. I kept my reasoning behind this decision from everyone, including Edward. I had an irrational feeling that even I could not quite fully understand, but I was certain that by even implying that my parents were dead or ill, I would only be tempting fate._

I sighed as the usual lunchroom clamor pulled me swiftly from my thoughts. Edward and I wove our way through the crowded cafeteria angling toward the winding line, taking care not to brush anyone accidentally. We wanted people to be comfortable with us before they could have any reason for suspicion, and accidentally touching our pale, frigid skin would not help matters progress in that direction. We filled our lunch trays with food; the smell of the cheese and grease from my pizza was mildly repulsive. As we walked slowly, desperate to appear normal, towards an empty table on the far side of the cafeteria, I saw our daughter enter the swarming lunchroom surrounded by a large group of freshmen. I smiled happily at Edward, as we sat down beside one another at our unoccupied table. I was thrilled to see the proof of what Edward had been constantly telling me all morning. Our daughter was making friends, she was blending in seamlessly. Edward chuckled suddenly, his eyes flicking towards the food line across the room. I followed his gaze, searching for the cause of his sudden amusement. I spotted Renesme leaving the long line with her new friends. My eyes narrowed as they focused on the large piece of chocolate cake, the sole item balanced precariously on her bright red, plastic tray. I sighed heavily. Well I guess I hadn't specified what kind of food she had to eat. I rolled my eyes, turning to face Edward again. His golden eyes danced, as he stared at our daughter, his full lips pressed tightly together to hide his smile.

"Kids will be kids," he defended her. "I guess even immortal ones." He could not stand it any longer, as he burst out laughing, earning us a few more stares.

"Yeah, I guess even the immortal ones." I agreed, smiling slightly. I opened my soda although I had no intentions of drinking it, unless…

"Hey, Edward," I asked, a thought suddenly occurring to me, "What happens when we eat food?"

"You have to get it out of your system."

"How do you do that?"

"You have to, uh, force it back up." He said seriously, although there was something different in his eyes, something I had never seen there before. It was amused but somehow testing, as though his topaz gaze was somehow challenging me. I had to admit though, the whole forcing it back up thing, did not exactly sound pleasant.

"Maybe another time," I murmured meeting his golden stare. He flashed my favourite crooked smile, his whole face lighting up. I started to smile back, but in that instant everything changed. I felt Edward stiffen beside me, become a marble statue, as his smile slid off his face. His hands balled into tight fists, the tendons standing out against his pale skin, his chin tilted defiantly toward something behind me. I couldn't see his face, although his whole body tensed, almost as though he was preparing to fight. His flawless lips pulled back over his gleaming teeth as a low snarl escaped through his usual perfect control. I froze involuntarily, me eyes darting frantically around the room, hunting for anything that could prove threatening to us.

"Edward what is it?" I murmured, much too low for human ears. I automatically released my shield, bending the invisible elastic band around Edward's body, before stretching it across the room to envelop Renesme's small form. I relaxed slightly as I felt their two bright lights beneath my shield.

"Edward?" I whispered, resting my hand on his marble arm. He looked up at me, an anguished expression on his angel face, his golden eyes uncharacteristically hostile.

"Edward, what's wrong?!" I asked worriedly, struggling to keep my voice low. I could see Renesme across the room laughing with her friends, completely unaware of what was going on. Then again, _I_ didn't really know what was going on. I stared at him anxiously, waiting for him to relax his position while my sharp mind tried to guess what could have happened, or perhaps even worse, who was hurt. Was it Jacob, Esme, or, I forced myself to think the name, Alice? My panic became more and more pronounced as his anguished silence dragged on. I could see the effort it cost him just to unclench his jaw.

"Them," he growled, spitting out the word, "Them. And their thoughts."

"Who?" I asked puzzled. What could someone possibly be thinking about that would cause Edward to react this way. He didn't answer, however he continued to glare at something-or someone-over my shoulder, so I figured the offender must be in that direction. I turned around completely, scanning the crowd. It didn't take me long to find who I thought I was looking for.

"Them?" I asked, tilting my head slightly towards a group of human boys seated at a table in the opposite corner of the cafeteria. He nodded once, his eyes dangerous. I studied the group closely, memorizing each young face. They were all laughing and smirking, throwing casual glances over their shoulders at us and Renesme's cluster of friends. I couldn't find anything particular about them except for the fact that the group was mainly comprised of seniors. They didn't _appear _any different than the other students who were looking curiously at us.

"What about them?" I said, unable to believe that they were the ones upsetting Edward. Okay, maybe upsetting was too light a word. He was absolutely livid, his glare murderous.

"They're thinking about you." He grimaced, before flinching slightly. "You and Nessie."

"Huh. Well maybe they're curious?" I reasoned. He shook his head stiffly.

"Well you know, they haven't seen Alice or Rosalie yet so they'll stop thinking about me as soon as they come in." I said, trying to lift his mood.

I was pleased to see that my words seemed to affect him somewhat. His fists loosened, the tension fading from his face, as his whole body relaxed.

"You know you don't see yourself clearly." He murmured, his golden eyes smoldering once more. I sighed heavily; this was an old argument we had had numerous times. I took his smooth hand in mine, delighting in the warmth-well it felt warm to me.

"Aren't you up for some competition?" I asked playfully. He knew better than to take me seriously; my need for him was no secret.

"I had no problem with them up until a few minutes ago. They were simply thinking the same thing as every other male in this room."

I raised my eyebrows questioningly. What was every other male thinking about?

"About you and Renesme obviously." He answered my unspoken question, rolling his eyes. A small smile toyed at the corners of his mouth, his topaz eyes teasing.

"Why is it _my_ daughter and wife have to be the most beautiful creatures on earth? I shouldn't really even be upset that they all desire you Bella, since I feel no different. "

"I understand your opinion of Renesme, but towards me you are strictly biased." I muttered. If I was still human I would have blushed. He shook his head exasperatedly, and opened his mouth to say something. I was pretty sure I knew he was going to recite the whole "Don't see yourself clearly" speech again, so I rushed to change the topic.

"Why did their thoughts only start to aggravate you a few minutes ago?" I asked, hoping to distract him. It worked, though not quite how I had planned. His face darkened, his lips pressed together in a firm line. All of a sudden I was pretty sure I didn't want to know the answer to my question.

"Why don't we set them straight?" I said mischievously. His golden eyes looked up at me in confusion. I grinned as I leaned in towards him, planting my lips firmly on his. I reached up to entwine my free hand in his hair, pulling my body closer. I could not enjoy the kiss completely, instead I had to remain focused on where we were, otherwise I would soon find myself going a lot farther than I had intended in the middle of the cafeteria. Almost immediately Edward pulled away, and I was startled to see his face murderous once more.

"Not helping," he said through tight lips.

"Oh," I looked over towards the group of boys, before quickly turning away, trying unsuccessfully to avoid their jeering smiles, and obscene gestures.

"How about we go finish our lunch somewhere else?" I suggested, "They won't bother Nessie, will they?"

"No, they will leave her alone. They just see her as a freshman." I nodded reassured. We gathered our food and walked toward the garbage can. I plucked the water bottle and granola bar off of Edward's tray before he dumped the untouched contents in the garbage. I tossed my open soda in as well, but left my pizza and salad.

"I'll just be a second," I said in reply to Edward's quizzical stare. I walked swiftly-for a human-towards Renesme's table, my lunch tray held purposefully in front of me.

"Hello Nessie," I said clearly, trying very hard to keep the bell-like music out of my voice. I used her nickname remembering Edward's earlier comment this morning on how she had insisted that everyone call her Nessie. My daughter's expression was both mortified and reproachful as she glanced up at me.

"Hey," she answered quietly, her cheeks flushing a dull red as all of her friends gawked and stared in surprise.

"I noticed you didn't have much to eat and I am not really hungry so I wondered if you wanted some of my lunch." I explained. Although I kept my tone light and casual, I stared critically at her half-eaten piece of cake. Only she would understand that my offer was actually a request.

"Uh, thank you," she mumbled unenthusiastically.

"You are very welcome," I replied, grinning at her sullen face. I turned gracefully and walked slowly towards Edward who was waiting by the cafeteria door. I was not to far away before I heard the awed whispers.

"Is _she _really your sister?"

"Are all of your siblings beautiful too? Or is it just your brother, her and you?"

I didn't listen to Renesme's mumbled replies as I giggled silently.

"You know," Edward said conversationally as he grabbed my hand, and pushed the door open, "if you continue to be so maternal people are going to become suspicious and then you'll blow our cover."

"Right!" I scoffed, rolling my eyes, "Like people are really going to believe _we're_ her parents!" I burst into uncontrollable laughter at Edward's dumbfounded expression.

_Okay sorry this took an extremely long time to write! But please keep sending in reviews!! I love to know what you guys think! I appreciate all of your comments, they motivate me to keep writing!!_


	4. Party

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight! As you all know everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer!

Chapter 4:

"_You know," Edward said conversationally as he grabbed my hand, and pushed the door open, "if you continue to be so maternal people are going to become suspicious and then you'll blow our cover."_

"_Right!" I scoffed, rolling my eyes, "Like people are really going to believe we're her parents!" I burst into uncontrollable laughter at Edward's dumbfounded expression._

How can there still be fifteen minutes left? I sighed heavily, as I leaned farther back, resting my head dejectedly on Edward's smooth shoulder. Could this day drag on any longer? I glanced furtively at the clock hanging on the opposite side of the deserted hallway, wishing the hands would move faster. Was it possible that only three minutes had passed since the last time I had looked? I scowled at the clock miserably, as though I could speed time with a mere glower. Edward's arms constricted protectively around my waist, his warm lips pressing softly against my hair, a soothing reminder that I was not the only one stuck here. His simple gesture calmed me, comforted me, almost as well as Jasper's peculiar talent would have. It was at times like this that really made me question whether he could actually read my mind and it was all simply a façade. Deep down of course, I knew that he would never lie, especially to me, but how else could he have possibly sensed my desperate need to escape, or how he had known how to ease my agitation at the precise moment when I had all but acted on one of my many half-formed plans to flee. Then again, I thought grudgingly, it wasn't like I was exactly talented at hiding my feelings or intentions-open book was not just a general figure of speech when it came to me, it was more of an accurate description.

"Only ten more minutes love," Edward murmured gently, before pressing his flawless lips once more to hair.

_Great_, I thought rolling my eyes, _ten more minutes of boredom in this hallway_ _followed by almost three more hours of boredom in a cramped classroom. Such an improvement!_

I nodded against his chest, keeping my negative feelings to myself, concentrating solely on my bracelet. I shifted my wrist watching with delight as the bright fluorescent lights reflected prettily off the silver charms. Ever since Jacob had given it to me as a graduation present so long ago I had yet to take it off. In truth I felt slightly naked without it, as though I was missing some small part of myself, which in a way I guess I was, since each charm represented the three people I love most in this world. The only change I had made over the years was adding a small, yet striking wooden charm directly in between the hard, diamond heart and the intricately carved wolf. I smiled lightly at the pale, wooden charm, tracing the contours of the linked hands, my fingers lingering tenderly on the slightly smaller hand, an exact representation of my daughter's hand holding mine. My smile widened as I thought back to the day Renesme had given it to me.

"_Happy Birthday Momma!" Nessie called happily, as she struggled onto my lap. Although technically she was barely over a year old, she was roughly the size of a small eight year old. _

"_Thank you sweetheart," I replied, trying to sound enthusiastic, while inside I panicked. I had already had this conversation with Edward, and I had an ironclad promise from him that we would not be celebrating my birthday this year. With dawning horror I realized I hadn't considered Alice in the promise. How had I forgotten _ALICE?!_ My breath caught in my throat as I imagined all the things Alice could have planned. My vision was suddenly obscured by something pink and fluffy and for an agonizing moment I thought my nightmarish vision of Alice's would-be party had actually come true, before my better sense acknowledged that the overwhelming pink was simply tissue paper. I stared down at the wrapped gift in my daughter's small hands before looking into her excited, flushed face._

"_I got you a present Momma, even though Daddy said we weren't going to celebrate your birthday," she announced proudly, "Jake helped me make it!"_

"_Oh my! I can't wait to see what it is!" I told her, my enthusiasm no longer false. I took the small package from her warm hands, only slightly curious as to what was inside. After all my daughter had already given me the best present of all; the knowledge that we would not be celebrating today. I carefully lifted the pink paper out of the bright gift bag, cradling the small bundle in my hand._

"_Open it! Open it!" she cried, clapping her hands together._

_I smiled as I gently peeled back the wrapping, revealing the tiny charm nestled in the center._

"_Oh Nessie it's stunning!" I breathed. The charm itself was made of a pale wood, the light colouring only a shade darker than my own marble skin. I was amazed at the amount of detail, and the beautiful simplicity of it. The charm was two hands; their wooden fingers entwined, while the thumbs pressed firmly together in a small point, forming a perfect heart. _

"_You made this?" I asked astonished._

"_Well Jake helped at first, but after a while I could do it all by myself." She explained smugly. "Do you really like it? I made it for your bracelet, so now you have something of me too, not just Jake and Daddy."_

"_I love it!" I answered, kissing her softly on the cheek. She smiled satisfactorily her glistening white teeth flashing in the pale morning light. All too soon she was climbing down from my lap and racing towards the door._

"_Jake, Jake!" she called excitedly, "Mommy loved it, she absolutely loved it!"_

A low growl shattered the peaceful quiet of the vacant hallway, pulling me from my thoughts. I started, glancing around anxiously, half expecting to find some sign of danger. Alice and Jasper's startled faces reflected my own surprise, as they gazed up at Edward. Jasper was sprawled on the floor at Alice's feet, his head resting on her lap, as she toyed unthinkingly with his golden hair. I hastily turned my head to the right, staring straight into Rosalie's concerned topaz eyes, as she tried to disentangle herself from Emmett. There was nobody else in the hallway except for us, seated on the wooden bench.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I asked, trying to keep the panic from my voice. A small part of my mind acknowledged that this was not the first time I had asked him that exact question today, although I truly hoped it would be the last. His arms constricted around me, pulling me closer to his smooth, marble chest. He breathed in deeply, burying his face in my hair before answering.

"Nessie was just invited to a party," he explained stiffly, "It is going to be at some girls' house tonight while their parents are visiting family in Grande Prairie."

"Okay," I said slowly, confused. "I don't quite understand why that is bad."

"It's not going to be a very tame party," he growled, "Actually half the stuff they're planning to do isn't even legal!" I twisted around in his arms, turning to face him. I stared into his liquid eyes, seeing the worry and anger as he struggled to control his emotions.

"Alright," I said calmly, raising my hand to his flawless cheek, "So they are going to act like teenagers. There isn't anything we can do." A deep snarl rumbled low in his throat, his eyes turned hard, as his face contorted in an unfamiliar mask of fury.

"What?" I cried. _What could possibly have happened now? _

"She wants to go to the party!" he muttered angrily. He was standing up in one fluid motion, pulling me along with him, his hard hand clutching mine firmly, as he stalked towards the cafeteria door.

"Edward wait!" I pulled my hand away from his, as I spun around to face Alice. Our entire family was staring at us shell-shocked, clearly unsure of what to do.

"Alice!" I said hurriedly, the words tumbling out, "Can you see this party." Her eyes took on a blank look as she became solid stone. Before even a second had passed, she refocused, her bright eyes holding mine. Edward hissed menacingly in reply to whatever Alice had seen in her vision.

"Yes," she answered simply.

"Is it going to be out of control?" I demanded, although judging by Edward's reaction I already knew the answer. She nodded once stiffly.

"Can you tell what time things are going to start getting rowdy?" I asked. I had never been to a high school party even closely resembling this but I was pretty sure things would not be completely chaotic right off the bat. Alice became a granite statue once more as she focused on the future.

"After eight." She said confidently. I nodded, relieved. So there was a way that Renesme could go to this party and stay out of trouble.

"What are you thinking?" Edward asked anxiously, suddenly standing right in front of me. His strong hands cradled my face as his golden eyes smoldered from under his long lashes.

"Well what happens if we let her go," I paused at Edward's angry hiss, glaring at him for interrupting, "But one of us picks her up at seven." We both looked hopefully at Alice.

"I assume she'll be safe since we all disappear around that time, but I see us at school tomorrow." She said happily, utterly confident in what she saw.

I sighed, relieved that this was actually going to work. Edward bent forward, his marble forehead resting briefly against mine before pressing his smooth lips firmly against my own trembling mouth. I entwined my hands in his hair, pulling him closer. His hands gripped my waist, as he leaned farther down, molding his body around mine.

"You are such a genius." he murmured against my lips.  
"I am glad you think so." I whispered, "Because Jake is going to kill me."

I let my face slip into a pout as he gently pulled away. H pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket, punching in the familiar number, as I wound my arm firmly around his waist. With his free hand he pulled me closer, resting his arm casually around my shoulders. Jake answered on the first ring, his husky voice guarded.

"Hello?"

"Hey Jake. When are you done work?"

"Uh three, why?" I heard Jake's curious voice as clearly as if he were standing beside me. Edward explained the situation to him hurriedly, his words blending together. The bell rang, a low nasal sound, and I hastily slipped from Edward's side to gather our bags. Above the clear sounds of scraping chairs and shuffling feet I heard Edward slam his phone shut. He took his bag from my outstretched arm, lacing his fingers with mine. He leaned down appearing to simply brush my jaw with his lips.

"Jake is going to head over right after work and he is going to stay the entire time, before driving her home at seven." He whispered quietly in my ear. I nodded trying to look unconcerned, as the red swinging doors of the cafeteria burst open and the entire student body poured out. We waited patiently for Renesme outside the door, with the rest of our family doing our best to ignore the muttered whispers and awed stares. She was one of the last students to leave, her new friends crowding around her.

"You guys keep going, I'll catch up." She murmured, bending over as though to tie her shoe. Once her friends were out of earshot, she glanced up, her chocolate eyes pleading.

"You can go Nessie, but you have to leave at seven." Edward said calmly, answering the question in her thoughts. She nodded resignedly, her beautiful face disappointed.

"And Jake will be there the entire time." He continued ignoring her reaction. She scowled, clearly frustrated, but nodded once more.

"Okay." She murmured before standing up again and turning around. She walked slightly faster than a human, hurrying to catch up with her friends.

"Nessie!" I called after her retreating form, "Keep your cell phone on!"

She glanced back over her shoulder, slowing down to a leisurely walk.

"Don't worry mom, I will" she said softly, much too low for human ears.

_I am sorry it took so long to post this but I couldn't log on until today. Please review!! Let me know what you guys think! I love hearing from you!! Thx!_


	5. Everything to Lose

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight as I am sure you all know

Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight as I am sure you all know!! Everything belongs to the incredibly talented Stephenie Meyer!_

"One more class love," Edward murmured soothingly in my ear. I smiled happily at the thought that I had only one more hour to endure; it had seemed like today would never end. I couldn't wait to simply go home and just spend some time with Renesme, Jake and of course, Edward. We headed towards our last class, traveling slowly through the crowded main hallway, on our way to biology, which just so happened to be outside in the lone portable classroom.

"I am beginning to understand Emmett's resentment towards school." I whispered back playfully, squeezing his smooth hand. "I mean this is only my second time through High School and I am already starting to wish that an avalanche will bury me tonight so I don't have to come back tomorrow."

"There is no snow yet, sweetheart. And besides an avalanche would do absolutely nothing to you." Edward replied, flashing my favourite crooked grin. He seemed very pleased by the thought that nothing could hurt me.

"Oh I know! But I would use it as an excuse. I could pretend you know, work on my acting skills!" I winked at his amused face, as he bit back a laugh.

"Sure Bella," He rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Well I think you can forget that idea. Your acting is so horrible, even these humans would see through your façade." He retorted, his eyes dancing. My lower lip jutted out as I pretended to be devastated by his comment. He pulled me close, releasing my hand to wrap his arm securely around my waist. I smiled softly as he kissed the top of my head. Clutching my books to my chest, I sighed happily. Even after seven years, I always felt a slight thrill when something, however small, such as this ordinary gesture, confirms how perfect we are for each other. An ideal couple, a perfect match, destined to be together forever. Edward chuckled softly under his breath, startling me from my thoughts. I looked into his golden eyes, raising my eyebrows questioningly.

"We're embarrassing Nessie," he explained, struggling to control his laughter. "She is practically begging me to let you go." I glanced back over my shoulder to see a flushed Renesme talking dynamically with her friends. I pressed my lips tightly together to keep from laughing, assuming that her enthusiasm in the conversation was her method of keeping her new friend's attention diverted from us. I felt Edward flinch suddenly beside me and hurriedly focused my attention on his. His expression was half-exasperated, half-amused as he puzzled over what I imagined as our daughter's thoughts.

"Well that was a low shot," he murmured slightly louder than before. I was confident however, that the only other person able to hear his remark besides myself was Nessie.

"She is threatening to act this way in front of us with Jake-actually no, she'll act worse- if we don't keep to a standard no-contact rule at school." He stated, answering my unspoken question. His lips twitched as he fought for control, his liquid eyes warm.

"Well since we are still the parents, I believe those are empty threats." I frowned. As much as I liked Jake, I wasn't exactly ready for him to start having an official relationship with my daughter. "She is simply going to have to get used to it. I mean, she is completely over-reacting. Nobody here knows we are her parents, except for our family of course, and we are behaving no different than any of the other couples here."

"I agree with you whole-heartedly," he said, smiling, as he pushed open the door, stepping into the slow drizzle of rain. "She is simply going to have to learn how to deal-" He broke off suddenly, his smiling sliding from his face as his whole body tensed. He swung around still in the doorway, clutching me close, sliding into a half-crouch facing Renesme. His face was deep in thought, as his gaze danced from the door to our daughter. A low snarl erupted from his throat, as his face twisted with indecision. I stared in shock, half-expecting him to grab Nessie before he made a dash for the opposite exit at the far end of the hall, towing myself along with them.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I asked alarmed, ignoring the frightened stares from the other students. I was desperately trying to calm myself, although I barely succeeded in controlling my voice. I acknowledged once again, that this was not the first time I had asked that question today.

"Do I go get Emmett and Jasper first, or do I get them out?" he muttered furiously to himself. He glanced down at my frightened face, seeming to make his decision. "Right, get you and Nessie out!" He made the motion to scoop me up in his arms, but I took a hasty step back through the open door, intent on hearing what was happening before I let him take me away. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the inevitable argument, trying unsuccessfully to steady my granite body-a natural human reaction-although it did not calm me.

"Oh no!" I mouthed, staring in horror at Renesme. She was completely oblivious to the situation, continuing to talk with her friends. I watched in dread as she laughed at something one of her acquaintances said. Apparently she hadn't smelt what I just had or what Edward had heard. The sweet, familiar scent overwhelmed me, although I had never smelt that particular odor before. My mind raced through all the possibilities its presence could suggest. The demolition of everything: our new life, my family,Edward…Renesme. The significance of this creature's presence tortured me as I thought of everything I had to lose. _How could another one be here?_ _Another vampire!_

_Okay I know it's really short but I hope you guys enjoy it!! I really appreciate all of your reviews, so please keep sending in more! I love to hear what you all think!! I'll try and get my next chapter up a.s.a.p but I've been so busy I'm not quite sure when that'll be! (Wow k that rhymes) anyways hope you all like it!!_

_Princess Ly_


	6. Spider!

Hey everyone

_**Hey everyone! So here is the 6**__**th**__** chapter! I know it's been a week since I updated but with school and everything else I haven't even had time to get on the computer let alone write and post a next chapter! But anyways here it is…finally!! A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed!! It really makes my day and encourages me to keep writing!! So PLEASE keep sending them in!! I really love hearing your opinions!! Thx!! **_**:D**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight-except in my dreams_ -_ however since this is reality I must admit that everything belongs to the awesome Stephenie Meyer, and I am not her…although that would be amazing!! _**:**P

Chapter 6

_Who was it? The Volturi? Another friend of Victoria's?_

My head swirled with the unanswered questions, as I tortured myself with each new possibility, every one of them worse than the last. A very small part of my brain-one that became increasingly ignored as the seconds dragged on- was aware of the shocked and uneasy stares directed towards us from the other students.

"Bella! Edward! I've been looking all over for you guys!" Alice gushed as she danced gracefully in our direction, weaving her way through the stunned student body, leaving them even further dumbstruck as they stared in awe after her elegant movement. I attempted to focus on her, trying to block out the panicked thoughts drowning out all other reasoning. _Who was it? What did they want?_ Around, and round they churned, the possibilities endless, each one pulling me under in a new wave of panic. I saw Alice's animated face swimming in front of me; however I was unable concentrate on what she was saying. Her excited babble flowed around me, enveloping me in constant chatter, all of it meaningless. _Was it the Volturi? Had they come back finally after all of these years?_ Alice paused for a breath, a bright smile pasted across her face. The sudden quiet pulled me from my desperate thoughts as I struggled to focus on the scene before me.

"I was able to catch a glimpse of another coven before all of a sudden I saw Edward dashing towards the exit with you in his arms, before both of your futures disappeared all together!" She muttered hurriedly, her soft voice a gentle hum, much too fast and low for human ears. Her golden gaze met mine before her eyes shifted and focused on something beyond my shoulder. I turned my head around, spotting Renesme as she made a hasty excuse to her gaping friends, before edging towards us, her face just as confused and stunned as the children around her. I immediately understood why our future had ceased to exist for Alice. Edward had been planning to grab me, then Nessie, in an attempt to have us as far away from the other vampire as possible. My sudden panic was replaced by anger. Edward could not seriously believe that I would have allowed to be dragged away instead of helping my family. I shook my head trying to clear it, I would have to talk to him about it later-if there was a later.

"So you are freaking out about that spider?" Alice shook her head dramatically, keeping her tone light, her teasing smile absolutely convincing, "Really you two! The way you panic at the first sign of a bug!" She smiled widely, showing her set of perfectly white teeth. Only someone who knows her as well as I do could see the forced brightness of her smile, and the slight, guarded, hard look to her topaz eyes.

"Yes of course," Edward replied smoothly, flashing a charming smile in her direction. I heard the stuttered heartbeats of the surrounding girls as their wide eyes took in Edward's flawless face. I had to concentrate very hard to keep from rolling my eyes, in addition to possibly throwing something- or perhaps someone- I wasn't overly picky.

"We are being absolutely ridiculous! Would you be so kind as to remove the creature?" Edward asked politely, his voice steady, his face hinting at just the right amount of abhorrence. I sighed inwardly. Even at a time like this I could appreciate how remarkable his acting was, I knew I would never be able to lie as convincingly no matter how long I lived. Alice bent down gracefully, stretching her delicate hand out towards a random spot on the floor nearby. She clasped her slim fingers around the "spider", holding her arm outstretched in front of her as she went outside to deposit the imaginary insect. A wide, triumphant smirk spread across her face as she danced back through the door.

"It's gone! You can relax now!" she cried playfully, her chiming voice suppressing laughter. Then again, I would never be as good an actress as Alice either. The humans broke out into relaxed conversations as they hurried off to class, laughing in ease at some joke or another. I sighed with relief as I realized they all seemed to accept our story. I turned to face Edward, meeting his pleading gaze. I shook my head slightly, alerting him with my eyes that I was not going anywhere. He sighed in defeat as our daughter reached my side, her soft, warm hand slipping in to mine.

"Mom, Dad? What's wrong?" She whispered, her chocolate eyes wide, "What is going on?"

_Ok ok, I know it is short! I honestly have not had the time to write ANYTHING this week! So I do apologize! Please review though! I don't want to say that I won't update if I don't get any reviews but it does encourage me to try and update faster if I know people appreciate my story! Thanx a lot!!_


	7. Cell phone

"There is another vampire in this school

Chapter 7:

**I felt very bad for how short my last chapter was so here is the next one! Even though this one is short as well it is a bit longer and I thought that would be better than nothing! :DIf any homework is left undone this is the reason! lol I hope you all enjoy it! Don't forget to review! Thx!**

_Disclaimer: I am not Stpehenie Meyer so as a result nothing belongs to me…sadly!_

_He sighed in defeat as our daughter reached my side, her soft, warm hand slipping in to mine._

"_Mom, Dad? What's wrong?" She whispered, her chocolate eyes wide, "What is going on?"_

"There is another vampire in this school." Edward stated quietly, before I could even open my mouth to respond. His voice was composed, his face a smooth mask in an effort to appear calm in front of our daughter. I felt Renesme stiffen beside me, her breath coming in short, terrified gasps. Like us, she knew what the presence of another vampire could mean. I squeezed her hand gently, pulling her close to my side, stroking her bronze head soothingly. There was nobody left in the hallways to witness my moment of maternal instinct-they had all hurried off to class in an attempt not to be late. Edward's arms came around us both, holding us firmly to his chest, while Alice rubbed her back tenderly. The nasally sound of the bell echoed throughout the hallway, the clamor that had been emanating from the occupied classrooms nearby quieted almost immediately.

"It'll all work out okay, you'll see," I murmured softly into her hair, inhaling her sweet scent. "Everything will be fine,"

"Is it the Volturi?" she choked out, her voice tight with fear. I stared into her wide, frightened brown eyes-exactly the same chocolate shade mine had been- wishing more than anything that I could erase the terror buried in their brown depths. But false comfort would be of no use to her if there really was a danger-at least that is what I was telling myself.

"No," Edward answered firmly, his soft, musical voice reassuring her where I could not. "I can tell it's not the Volturi. It is a teacher, a male. He is running through his next lesson-our biology class- right now, I am absolutely cer-"He cut off abruptly, his body becoming a rigid bolder, shattering his calm façade. I stopped breathing altogether as I waited anxiously for what I was certain he had just "heard" from this mysterious threat.

"He is like us…" Edward whispered incredulously, "He was just thinking about what he would hunt tonight. Deer, he decided on deer." A stunned silence followed Edward's announcement as we all though about what this new assertion implied.

"He might not be a danger then at all." I said slowly, keeping my voice a low murmur. "This is probably his home. Technically we would be viewed as the threat to him; we have, after all, encroached on his territory if he does in fact live here."

"Hmmm," Edward mused, his face thoughtful, "Well he is not yet aware of our presence. He can't smell us since he has not left the portable once today."

"I don't see anything happening, although with Nessie here it is difficult to tell," Alice offered. "Give me a second though." Her eyes glazed over as she focused intently on something that had yet to happen, the vacant look fading slowly from her blank face as her mind gradually returned to the present. Edward nodded satisfactorily, looking down at Nessie's head, his face calculating.

"I can't see exactly what will happen, because all of our decisions right now are too entwined with Renesme. However I do see us sitting around the living room later tonight, when Nessie and Jake are asleep and everything _seems _alright." Alice explained to Renesme and me.

"Well I think we should go to class," I said finally, after a moment's hesitation. "We should continue like before, if we leave now people are bound to wonder what happened. Nessie can still go to her party after school," I mused aloud, "I am sure she'll be in less danger surrounded by humans if this new vampire really does have a permanent residence here. He will want to remain inconspicuous. As long as Jake stays hidden and keeps an eye out I think she'll be fine." I looked at Edward, who nodded slowly, his face uncomfortable. I stared at him and raised my eyebrows, a silent gesture meaning that since he had already agreed to this before he really couldn't relinquish his permission now. He shrugged once, looking resigned.

"I am going to call Carlisle and Esme, they should know about this. And then of course I am going to have to tell Jazz, Emmett and Rose too," Alice said decidedly, purposely ignoring the conversation between Edward and me.

"How are you going to let them know? They're all in class!" Renesme asked curiously, her fear all but forgotten now that we knew the Volturi were not here to kill us.

"Via text messaging, of course! You have to love technology!" Alice replied blissfully, winking conspicuously at Renesme.

"Which is something you never do in class Renesme unless it is an immediate emergency!" Edward interceded firmly, throwing a warning glance at Alice.

"Absolutely," Alice agreed, her face solemn, eyes widening innocently, "I would never suggest otherwise!" She winked mockingly at Nessie once more, before dancing back down the hall. Edward shook his head disapprovingly, as his eyes trailed after our favourite sister.

"I mean it Renesme, if I catch you once so much as thinking about using your phone in school, you will be in trouble!" Edward repeated sternly, turning around to look her in the eye. She nodded once, her lower lip jutting out in a pout.

"It sucks having your dad read your mind!" she muttered huffily.

Edward smiled at that, resting his hand gently on the top of her head.

"Yeah it does," he agreed, my favourite crooked grin spreading across his face.

"I think you should go to class now, sweetie. Just tell them you got lost as an excuse." I told her, smiling gently.

"Okay," she turned to leave before suddenly placing her hand softly on my cheek. _I love you both. Very much. _

"We love you too honey. Have a good class!" I whispered, holding her close for a moment before releasing her. Edward kissed her softly on her pale forehead, before she dashed down the hallway towards her next lesson. I watched her go until she reached the end, and with a quick wave disappeared around the corner.

"Are you ready?" Edward asked softly, reaching his hand out to me.

"Of course," I said, taking his smooth hand, "We can take on anyone, as long as we're together." He laughed softly, pushing open the door leading outside. But even as the words left my mouth, I let the elastic band of my shield stretch out to envelop him tightly.

_Well I hope you all enjoy this!! And that you are all satisfied with finally knowing who the vampire is…kind of. I didn't give all my secrets away! lol Please review though!! I really want to hear what you guys think!! Thx!! Oh and if any of you have some extra time where u have absolutely nothing to do, go check out my story Miracle!! I haven't got any reviews and it makes me sad! :( lol but thx a lot just for reading this one!! :D_


	8. Brunette and Blonde

Chapter 8:

Chapter 8:

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters!! As we are all aware everything Twilight belongs to the astonishingly talented Stephenie Meyer._

_Author's Note: Ok I know it has been a while since I last updated but honestly it is getting so hard to even squeeze in some writing time! I'm just going to have a small rant right here; _**I mean why does high school have to be so hard?? Do they have to give us so much homework?? They just enjoy making our lives miserable, don't they?? **Ok sorry about that_ but I really needed to let that out! So yeah, read on and make sure you review! Thx!_

Edward pushed the door to the portable open cautiously, his eyes alert. I too, waited anxiously, my ears straining for some hint of the attack that would never come. We crept in silently, our hands linked together.

"I want you all to pair off-" The man broke off suddenly, as the heater blew our scent in his direction. I watched apprehensively as his back stiffened and his head snapped up. My body tense automatically, while I struggled to remain silent, clamping my lips together to keep the instinctive warning snarl from erupting as he pivoted slowly on the spot, turning to face us.

Edward cleared his throat, and bowed his head, the perfect image of a remorseful, innocent student.

"I am sorry sir, but we got lost. I am Edward Cullen and this is Bella Swan." Edward explained keeping his tone light and apologetic. He smiled his perfect angel's smile, his whole face lighting up. I resisted the urge to throw something-or someone- as collective gasps and slight swooning noises circled the room. I gritted my teeth together as I listened to the frantic rhythm of the hormonal teenage girl's hearts.

"Of course," replied the other vampire, his smooth voice distracting me. He forced a calm and serene expression, although his light topaz eyes remained wary. "I know how confusing a new school can be. Please call me Mr. Conti. You may take the empty table in the back." He continued cautiously, nodding his head towards the sole vacant table in the room. I walked slowly behind Edward as we wound our way around through the clutter of tables and chairs. The room was small, even for a classroom. Tables were scattered randomly across the room, each with two plastic chairs, facing the lone blackboard. The teacher's tiny desk was crammed into the far corner, papers overwhelming the surface, and small boxes of folders littered about the surrounding floor. I focused my attention on the table the farthest from the door, as I concentrated on maintaining a slow, weary tread, trying to illustrate the persona of a nervous, tired new student. I studiously ignored the awed stares and hushed whispers directed at my husband. I clamped my jaw shut, locking my lips, as I ground my teeth together fervently. Despite my best efforts I still managed to hear small parts of conversation as we eased our way through a giggling group of girls.

"Do you think he is a virgin?" One girl whispered dreamily to her friend.

"I doubt it! But if he is, he won't be when I am done with him!" Her friend muttered back boldly. Unable to contain myself any longer, I glanced up. I assumed the one who had talked was the confident-looking blonde girl. Her bright pink lips curved upwards as she smiled invitingly at Edward, puffing her chest out ever so slightly, increasing the strain of her already too tight T-shirt as it stretched even further across her enormous chest. Edward continued to walk past their group, staring straight ahead, his eyes focused solely on our table. Only I noticed him flinch, as he obviously heard whatever thought that girl and most likely many others were currently entertaining. Smirking, I glanced over at the daring girl, stifling a laugh as her encouraging smile slid off her pale face, her eyes zooming in on our interlinked hands. I laughed slightly under my breath, reminiscing in an old, foggy, human memory._ Edward's lips pressed against my ear, his cold breath tickling my face._

_"I prefer brunettes." He whispered._

I smiled again relishing in the fact that neither she, nor anyone else could ever have him. He was mine! However as we finally reached our table, I looked back to see her studying her bright pink binder, wearing a calculating expression. Sighing quietly, I sat down, carefully placing my books on the table, as I retained the illusion of a human. Apparently she hadn't quite given up, yet.

"Alright class settle down please," Mr. Conti's calm voice interrupted my thoughts, "Today we are going to review our lab reports from last class. Please open your books to page 154."

I sighed resignedly, flipping my book open to the correct page, skimming the title of the chapter. I rested my chin on the hand not entwined with Edward's,as I groaned internally. I could already tell that this was going to be an extremely long class.

I

_Ok I know its shorts but like I already mentioned I've been given so much homework that it was extremely difficult just to get this much written! So I figured you guys would want at least something and this is better than nothing right? Anyways like always I will try and update as soon as I can…although I have NO idea when that might be! So please just be patient guys and hang in there with me! Don't forget to review!! Thx!_

_Princess Ly_


	9. Understand

Chapter 9:

Chapter 9:

_Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Twilight. I would never have thought of sparkly vampires, so all of the credit goes to Stephenie Meyer._

My eyes followed the hand on the clock as it ticked away the final moments of this tedious class. I glanced back at Edward, staring into his pained eyes, as he too glared fixedly at the clock. He cringed unconsciously- I assumed it was in response to one of our fellow female classmate's thoughts-before beginning to hum quietly under his breath. I smiled slightly, recognizing the muted tune as Esme's favourite, knowing full well that he was trying to distract himself from whatever images or ideas he was being subjected to from those around us. I squeezed his hand sympathetically, looking once more towards the clock. I breathed a sigh of relief-only one more agonizing minute to endure. Focusing my attention on the vampire standing not ten feet in front of me, I pulled myself from my thoughts, trying to concentrate on whatever he was saying.

"You may put you books away, and talk amongst yourself until the bell rings," Mr. Conti said softly. I hastened to put my binder in my bag, over-exaggerating the movement so no one would notice exactly how desperate I was to leave. My fingers drummed a swift staccato on the table top as I silently urged the needle-like-hand on the clock faster. Fifteen seconds left, fourteen seconds, thirteen, twelve, eleven…

"Mr. Cullen and Ms. Swan would you be so kind as to stay after class so we may discuss what you have missed this term?" Mr. Conti's calm voice interrupted my silent count down. I looked to Edward, widening my eyes slightly, questioning the intentions behind the innocent question. Edward nodded once, before turning to face the other vampire, seated behind his desk across the room.

"Of course," he murmured, his liquid eyes confident. The nasal sound of the bell echoed around the crowded room, as the students jumped to their feet in an effort to be the first to leave. I ignored the stares and whispers directed at us as best as I could, looking only at the grainy table top. I stood up in one fluid motion and swung my bag over my shoulder, making each movement slow and deliberate. Still grasping Edward's hand I led the way to Mr. Conti's desk. Each step I took was hesitant, my body tensed for an attack, while Edward walked with ease, completely confident in the thoughts of this unknown vampire. I tested my shield, pleased that it continued to envelop and protect Edward from whatever hidden dangers lurked. I stopped uneasily in front of his desk, unsure of what to expect. Much to my surprise, the other vampire smiled pleasantly, resting his hands behind his head as he leaned back in his chair.

"You both gave me a fright this afternoon." He explained, still smiling. "I hadn't left my classroom all day, so you can imagine how startled I was when I smelled you both as you entered my portable. However, the fact that you lack crimson eyes convinced me to give you a chance. I firmly believe that those of our kind who are like us should stay together." He smiled expectantly at us, his eyes calculating. I stared back incredulously, not quite sure what to make of his thick accent. I didn't understand why he had not spoken with it before. It was not totally unfamiliar and if I had to guess I would say it was probably Italian. I glanced towards the nameplate on his desk, his name taking on a whole new meaning.

"You're from Italy then?" Edward inquired his tone polite, confirming my suspicions.

"Yes I am, although as I am sure you understand, it simply makes it easier to talk without my accent when I am around humans. With an American accent I tend to blend in easier." He answered matter-of-factly, his eyes remaining thoughtful. His friendly manners and calm attitude worried me; I wasn't quite sure what to make of him. I almost wished he would be openly hostile or violent, at least then I would know how to react, but frankly his calm affability seemed more threatening somehow. I couldn't quite explain it, not even to myself, but he reminded me too much of Aro, like a tiger that reassures and comforts his prey before eating it.

"I would like to explain myself better, as well as get to know you and your family, for I assume the rest of the Cullen's are like us as well?" He questioned, his tone light. He paused, waiting patiently for our response. Edward nodded once curtly, his warm hand squeezed mine-a silent reassurance- but he refrained from saying anything more. I was pleased that Edward, like I, seemed to think it would be best not to mention Renesme until we knew exactly who this odd, friendly vampire was.

"Well since this is hardly the place to have that type of conversation do you think you and the rest of your family could come over later this evening? Perhaps around eleven?"

"We will be there." Edward confirmed.

"Alright." He said, pleased. "If you would be so kind as to wait for one moment I will give you the directions-" he rummaged around in his desk for a brief second before retrieving a piece of crumpled paper and a pen.

"That won't be necessary," Edward said courteously, "However our brothers and sisters will be wondering where we are if we do not meet them soon."

"Oh, of course," Mr.Conti answered, looking slightly taken aback, "Then we shall see you later this evening." I forced a small smile, before Edward and I turned around and made our way towards the door, no longer walking at human pace. As we stepped outside, into the foggy afternoon, I smiled brightly at Edward's gloomy face.

"Well that went all right," I said optimistically, trying to lighten his mood

"Right," he agreed tersely, "I completely enjoyed being bombarded by the thoughts of fifteen crazily hormonal teenage boys having perverted thoughts about my wife." His usually musical voice dripped with sarcasm and repressed anger. I stopped walking as I stared at him in shock, completely surprised by the venom in his voice. He glanced down at my stunned expression, his own hard features melting as he took in my wide, startled eyes.

"I am so sorry Love. My behaviour just now was entirely unacceptable." He bent down and kissed me softly on the lips, cradling my face between his hands. "I should not have lost control like that." He whispered softly, his sweet breath momentarily overwhelming my senses. "It is just so hard when they think of you and themselves together; I just want to tear them apart! It is even worse now than before, with Jacob at least-" He broke off suddenly, his topaz eyes agonized, as he flinched at some previous memory.

"I understand," I whispered, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist, holding him close as I buried my face in his shirt. His arms enveloped me, pulling me tighter. I felt his lips brush the top of my head and I found myself once again marveling at how he was mine. Undisputedly mine-forever.

"What do you mean?" he murmured against my hair, his breath stirring the strands. I pulled back from his arms staring straight into his curious eyes.

"Did you not hear what those girls were saying about you?" I asked incredulously. _How on earth could he not have heard them? _He frowned, his eyes thoughtful, a slight crease denting his otherwise smooth forehead. I laughed loudly at his expression, startling him with my amusement.

"Apparently the blonde who sits in front of us is going make sure that you are no longer a virgin." I giggled as his face turned first disbelieving, before settling on embarrassed. I chuckled softly; it was easy to see the joke in the young girl's behaviour now that I was able to share it with him, and witness his reaction.

"Did you really not know?" I asked again, still unable to comprehend how he had not heard their whispered conversation.

"Honestly, I was focusing so hard on not killing every single human male in the classroom, that a hurricane probably could have hit and I would not have noticed." He answered candidly, his tone teasing. I wrapped my arm around his waist once more as we resumed walking to the school. We wandered around to the front door, my eyes searching for the rest of our family. I spotted them all sitting in the suburban, looking slightly worried. As we hurried over to them, Edward leaned down and whispered softly in my ear.

"I love you."

_Ok so it is still not exactly long but it is longer than my last chap. I couldn't get over how short the last one was so my math homework is currently going undone so that I can write this! Oh well, this is more important right? lol anyways I hope you all enjoy this and please, please, please review!! I really appreciate all of the reviews and suggestions you have all given me so far!! I love hearing what you all think of what I have written!! So yeah, please review!! Thx a lot!!_

_Princess Ly_


	10. The Meeting part 1

"Bella it'll be fine, I can see that

_Okay so this totally re-defines short! I was half way through chapter ten but then I decided I wanted to change directions, I didn't like where it was headed so unfortunately this was all I have been able to write so far. It has been done for a few days now but I haven't even got a chance to post it this week!! Life is just insane right now so yeah, once again I am following my "a little is better than none" policy! So I'm REALLY sorry but this is all I have for now!! Please review though…I am pretty decided on what I am going to do so hopefully things will progress much faster now! (fingers crossed!)_

_Princess Ly_

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight!! It all belongs to Stephenie Meyer!!

"Bella it'll be fine, I can see that." Alice said confidently, her hand reaching across the seat to squeeze my shoulder gently, "You worry way too much, just relax. Everything is going to be fine." I tried to focus on her soothing words-really I did- but for all the good it was doing me I may as well have been worrying about the fact that Jake and Nessie were home alone. Of course the thought that we might not ever go back to them either wasn't exactly comforting. However despite Alice's calming words, worrying about Jacob and my daughter was exactly what I was doing. The unending stream of _what ifs _constantly tormented my already over-stressed mind.

"I promise Bella, everything will be fine. We'll be home with Nessie and Jacob before the end of the night." Edward murmured comfortingly, his hand squeezing mine gently. I relaxed slightly in my seat at the sound of his voice, promising myself that I wouldn't think about the negative possibilities. _Just don't think about what could happen Bella!_ I persuaded myself, _you'll be home soon, in your bed, while Nessie's heart beats a fast, steady rhythm through the walls, and Edward overwhelms every one of your senses. His hair, his eyes, his smell…_

"Yeah don't worry Bella!" Emmett's thunderous voice pulled me from my thoughts, "Yeesh! I mean come on, the worst that can happen is that we might get to tear a couple of vamps apart…wait hold that thought, I meant that is the best thing that can happen!" Emmett called loudly from the back seat, his booming laughter echoing around the suburban. I saw Rosalie scowl and I knew that my expression was no different than hers. I decided to ignore Emmett's comment as I turned to meet Edward's golden eyes. The intensity of his gaze stole my breath away and for a moment the knowledge of what we were about to do was temporarily forgotten, all I could think about was him. He smiled softly, as I felt the crease between my eyebrows smooth, and my tense expression slowly fade. Like always he knew exactly how to make me feel better. I felt calm and assured; there really was no way we couldn't get through this.

_And even if the absolute worse did happen and this meeting did end up being a furtive ambush by the Volturi, at least I could take comfort in the fact that Renesme and Jacob were safe._ I considered, while Edward's smooth hand traced small circles across my palm. _I knew Jake would protect our daughter no matter what and he was more than capable of defending her and keeping her content. Even if none of us lived…Grrr! I promised myself I wasn't going to think about that!_

I waited apprehensively, my body tense, as I anticipated the rush of worry and anxiety I was sure were going to overwhelm me for entertaining those thoughts. Instead however I felt a wave of calmness wash over me as I suddenly felt very peaceful. I turned my head to glare at Jasper suspiciously, whose sole response was to arch his eyebrows innocently. Well if it was his unusual talent-and I was positive it was-that was making me feel calm, I wasn't going to complain. As I turned to face forward I caught a glimpse of Carlisle's and Esme's composed, expecting faces through the tinted windshield of the Mercedes as they followed us closely. I turned my attention back to our own vehicle and sighed softly as my eyes slid past my daughter's usually occupied seat. The suburban just didn't feel the same without her presence, as though it was somehow empty without her warm body temperature, and fluttering heartbeat. I shook my head vigorously, as though to clear it, my eyes lingering on Edward. He drove one-handedly, completely at ease, while his other hand grasped mine, our entwined fingers resting on my lap. His golden eyes were focused on the road, the car never moving so much as an inch from the middle of the lane. I stared out at the dark landscape as it rushed by, recognizing none of the buildings and small landmarks we passed. _Where exactly did they live?_

As though he was reading my thoughts Edward answered my unspoken question.

"We're almost there," he whispered, his soft voice shattering the silence. I breathed in deeply, my whole body tensing automatically as I remembered what we were about to do. Edward pulled smoothly into a long driveway, leading up to an elegant, yet old fashioned mountain. Carlisle's headlights reflected eerily off the pale walls, as he parked directly behind us. Automatically, I reached out with my shield, stretching it to envelope my entire family. Reassured, I unbuckled my seatbelt-which I only still wore out of habit-and turned to face Edward. His angel's face was inches from mine and for a split-second all I could think about was him. The moment broke however as he kissed me softly on the lips and climbed out of the driver's side. I opened my door hastily, eager to rejoin him. Stepping gracefully out of the car, I listened hungrily, each of my highly sensitive reflexes prepared to face whatever awaited us.

_Ok so yeah, that's all I have! Have any of you seen the new trailer for Twilight?? It is amazing, I just have to say that it looks incredible and I think Robert Pattinson did an excellent job! So if you haven't watched it yet go check it out...NOW!! lol anyways I'll update as soon as I can!! Have a good thanksgiving!!_

_Princess Ly_


	11. The Meeting part 2

Chapter 10: Part 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything, it all belongs to Stephenie Meyer._

"Forgive me, but I thought Alessondro mentioned that there were nine Cullens. Is there not another female in your coven?" Caterina, Mr.Conti's wife asked, her soft voice sounding a little embarrassed. I looked carefully at her heart-shaped face, unable to overlook the dark, cascading curls that framed her kind features. She was very small, not much taller than Alice I realized and although her figure was slim beneath her light clothing I noticed that her shirt and loose slacks implied more of a curvier shape. I studied her closely, committing each detail to memory. I couldn't help marveling over her skin, it was slightly different than ours, almost like there was an olive undertone to the usual pallor. Her skin, combined with her dark eyebrows, and high cheek bones gave her more of a foreign, almost European look. And yet despite her unusual, if breathtakingly beautiful features, something about her reminded me of Esme. I couldn't quite place my finger on it, but something about her open expression, and her kind motherly manner was definitely familiar.

"Yes there is," Carlisle's casual voice pulled me abruptly from my thoughts. "However Renesme was unable to come tonight. She desperately needed to hunt."

Before we had left the house we had all decided that this would be the best explanation for Nessie's obvious absence.

"Ah, of course. Being around all of those humans must have made her thirsty." Caterina answered her musical voice soft. For some reason she seemed more relaxed, relieved almost. I tilted my head towards Edward, discreetly raising my eyebrow in a silent question

"She was worried that Nessie didn't come because she did not approve of sharing our "territory" with another coven. Caterina wants us to all be friends; she was afraid that if one of us didn't like her and her husband, our chances of living peacefully would be destroyed." He explained softly, his sweet breath tickling my ear. I nodded once, squeezing his hand gently to show him I understood. I glanced over at Caterina as she leaned in towards Esme, her topaz eyes excited. They were talking animatedly, Caterina gesturing with her hands as her excitement became more evident.

"It seems Caterina enjoys landscaping and interior design as much as Esme does," Edward murmured softly. I felt my respect for Caterina increase, apparently she was even more like Esme than I had first imagined. I felt my face stretch into an unexpected smile at the very though that there was someone else in the world as caring and loving as my mother in law. I turned my head slightly to the side as I glanced at the large grandfather clock standing inconspicuously in the far corner. It was an old-fashioned clock, probably from the late eighteen hundreds, yet it had sort of a surreal beauty to it. The clock chimed loudly, announcing the eleventh hour. _Good, _I thought privately, _We'll be able to go home to Jake and Nessie soon._ It wasn't that I didn't like Mr.Conti and his wife; I just didn't like to be away from home for very long. And home to me is wherever my daughter and Edward both are. I turned to ask Edward how much longer we would have to stay, when out of the corner of my eye I saw a shimmering object, sparkling eerily in the next room. Intrigued, I moved closer to the darkened room, releasing Edward's smooth hand, as I hesitantly stepped closer. I glanced around to make sure no one besides Edward had noticed my abrupt behaviour, and I sighed in relief as I saw that Alice and Rosalie had joined Esme and Caterina's discussion. I cast a fleeting look towards Emmett, Jasper and Carlisle and was pleased to see them deep in conversation with Mr.Conti. I met Edward's worried gaze and beckoned silently for him to follow. He moved forward hesitantly, his eyes curious, walking gracefully towards me, his arm outstretched. I clasped his warm hand, as he drew near.

"What are you doing?" He whispered in my ear, his voice slightly alarmed. Focusing on his liquid eyes, I let the walls blocking my mind fall. Concentrating hard on the glittering object that had captured my attention, I clearly expressed my curiosity. With a sigh, I let the elastic bands snap back into place, once again shielding my thoughts.

"You know curiosity is what killed the cat." Edward muttered, his tone joking. Despite his teasing words, I could tell that he was just as deeply intrigued by the mysterious object as I was. Rolling my eyes for his benefit, I edged towards the door and together we slipped quietly around the corner.

_Ok so I know this is the longest I have gone without updating and I am sorry!! Ok I know its extremely short too but its just really chaotic right now and I have struggled to post this! So bear with me for the next little while and I will update as soon as I can. And just to clear up a bit of confusion, my thanksgiving was last week, that particular holiday is a little different where I live then it is in the U.S! anyways please review!! Thanx! _:D

_Princess Ly_


	12. Fortunate

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer._

_OK so I realize that it has been a long time since I last update. I never thought it would take this long for me to finish a chapter!! If you are reading this, then you have obviously stuck through the wait and are continuing to read on!! Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!! Anyways, enjoy!!!_

Chapter 11:

As we entered the darkened room, my eyes immediately landed on the shiny object that had aroused my attention. Reaching out, I carefully picked up the golden picture frame, studying the grainy, black and white photograph carefully. A young girl who couldn't have been more than seven grinned up at me, as she stood proudly beside a new doll. I stared curiously at her old-fashioned dress, and the large but clearly ancient farm house she was in front of. I smiled slightly, not quite knowing why, but somehow this unfamiliar, little girl reminded me of my own daughter.

"Wow," Edward murmured his velvet voice soft. "This entire room is filled with pictures of humans, especially this woman." I looked up startled, glancing around at the rest of the room I had ignored before-having been too entranced by the young girl's photo. An entire shelf was dedicated to a girl-the girl whose photo I held-from her baby pictures all the way up to one of her with white hair and wrinkled skin, smiling happily surrounded by a dozen children. Although she had changed perceptibly through the years, I was positive it was the same person throughout all of the photographs because in every single one she had a light brown, oval birthmark above her left eye.

"Who do you think she is?" I whispered, keeping my voice low. Carefully I placed the photo back on its shelf.

"I have no idea. I wonder if these are her children. Maybe the younger ones are her grandchildren too, these pictures look more recent." He traced a photo gently with his finger, his expression thoughtful. I hadn't thought of that. Could this entire room be dedicated to the life, and the descendants of this one girl? Why would she be so important to Alessondro and his wife that they would literally keep a room devoted to her?

"That is Aliza, our daughter," Caterina's quiet voice came from the doorway. I spun around, already leaning into a crouch, while my entire body tensed for an attack.

"Careful Bella." Edward said in my ear, his arms wrapping securely around my waist. I glanced into Caterina's warm, brown eyes, seeing nothing but love and tenderness in her expression as she gazed adoringly at a picture of the girl.

"This is your daughter?" Edward asked inquiringly, his voice polite and cordial, as if we hadn't just been found snooping around her house. Which we shouldn't have been caught doing, I scolded myself mentally. If we hadn't been so absorbed by our discovery we would have heard her approaching footsteps no matter how quiet they were.

"Yes, she is." Caterina answered her gaze still locked on the pictures.

"Oh, there you both are," Carlisle said sounding faintly surprised as he, Alessondro and the rest of our family entered the room.

"Ah I see you have met our daughter," Alessondro said gently, moving to stand beside his wife. He took her hand tenderly, caressing it, as he looked around at all of us crowded in the room.

"She is your daughter?" Rosalie asked her voice barely above a whisper. I saw her standing near the entrance way, studying the picture I had first noticed. I felt a rush of sympathy as I took in her sad face and slumped shoulders. Every one in the room heard the undeniable longing in her voice when she spoke. I knew Renesme eased some of Rose's earlier feelings about not being able to have children, and although she loved Renesme very much, I also knew how much she still craved a child of her very own. Emmett moved towards her, wrapping his arms around her slender waist and pulling her close. She rested her head gently on his shoulder, hiding her face from the rest of us. I turned to face Alessondro again, trying hard to give them some semblance of privacy and ignore what Emmett was murmuring softly as he tried to console her.

"I think perhaps, we had best tell you the stories of our previous lives." Alessondro said, tearing his eyes away from Rosalie and Emmett. He glanced up adoringly at Caterina, a small, sad smile spreading across his face. "I think it is necessary that you go be the one to recount our histories, my dear."

Caterina took a deep breath, her soft brown gaze meeting mine before she began.

"I was born in the early spring of 1889 to Maria and Dario Pacelli. I was an only child beloved by both my parents. We lived in Rome, and although my father was a simple merchant, and we never had a lot of money, I had a very happy girlhood." Her soft voice filled the room, and entranced each of us as her sweet tone painted its own magic through her words. "I was seventeen when I met Roberto. He was young, charming, and incredibly kind. We married just after my eighteenth birthday, I was so young and naïve, but at that time I was already prepared for life as a married woman. On our first anniversary I received the best gift of all; we had a beautiful baby girl. She was so small, so perfect, I called her Maria after my mother. When Maria was three years old, we had a strong healthy boy, followed closely by another little girl. I stayed home and looked after the children, while Roberto worked alongside my father. It was a simple life, yet it was perfect." A slow, sad smile spread across her face, as I saw a deep pain fill her ancient brown eyes. I realized with a start that this story would not have a happy ending.

"I remember the night I was turned clearly. I was walking from my mother's house. She had ordered some new fabric for my father's store and she had wanted my opinion. I remember being so happy by the time I finally left. It was late and all I wanted to do was go home and see my babies, I simply wished to tuck them in for the night." She broke off suddenly, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. Alessondro reached over and rubbed her shoulders, soothing her with his touch. She continued like that, eyes closed, her brow furrowed, as though she were trying to banish the very images of her own story. "I remember thinking that it was so dark, and that I would have to light the candles in our apartment window soon, otherwise Roberto would never find his way home on the nights he worked late. I was hurrying through the streets, already planning when I would make the candles. He was there, waiting for me at the end of the street. I stopped suddenly, all thoughts of home erased from my mind, as I stared in astonishment at his perfect beauty. His skin was pale white, his dark, curly hair unkempt, and his clothes were obviously worn. And yet he looked like an angel, his only flaw being his piercing ruby eyes, but yet in a way they simply seemed to add to the magnificence of his appearance. I dropped to my knees in prayer, certain that I was looking upon an angel, if not a god. And when he spoke my entire world melted. His words were smooth, so effortless, and yet it was his voice, so seductive, so beautiful, that in that moment I was sure I would do anything-anything at all-for that voice." I glanced up at Edward, knowing all too well exactly how Caterina had felt. Caterina's voice became even softer as she continued; her words barely above a whisper. "It all happened so quickly after that. He began to feed, his hard lips sucking away my life, and yet I didn't care. I honestly believed I was in the arms of an angel. I can't remember why or even how, but for reasons best known to him, he didn't finish. One instant he was there and then he was gone. I managed to crawl into the abandoned store across the road where I stayed hidden for three days. The pain was unendurable. I waited those entire three excruciatingly long days awaiting death, fearing it, but willing it to come quickly, to relieve me of my suffering." A single laugh erupted from between her lips, a half-mad giggle, a half sob. I turned my face away from Edward as she mentioned the pain of her transformation. I recalled vividly my own agony with specific clarity, and I knew it would show clearly on my face. I focused solely on Caterina's story, banishing my own painful recollections from my mind.

"When I awoke after those three days, I thought I had died. It took me a few moments to realize I was still alive…at least in some way. I noticed the pallor of the skin on my hands and my feet, and it was of course, impossible not to detect the scorching sensation in my throat or my newly heightened senses. But I didn't think much of it…at first. My thoughts were focused solely on my family; I knew they would be worrying. It was nighttime when I crept out of my shelter, and although the moonless night smothered the world in darkness, I could see perfectly, everything was simply transformed into different, more intense colours. I hurried through the familiar streets, pausing only once to marvel over the speed at which I flew through the winding roads. I met no one on the streets, it was late enough that the streets were completely deserted, therefore I never once paused to consider the burning in my throat as the flames of pain increased each time I passed an inhabited dwelling. When I reached my own home and saw my husband, my mother and my children sitting by the fire, my youngest daughter sprawled sleepily across her sister's lap, I expected to feel relieved and happy to see them, instead I realized all I felt was desire. I could smell them; their warm blood pulsing deliciously beneath their tender flesh. It was then, as I stood outside my own front door, fighting the instinctual urge to devour my own family, that I even began to consider what I was…what I had become." Her voice broke in pain, as she squeezed her eyelids tighter, her forehead creasing, as she struggled to continue her story. My own eyes pricked, as though they would tear, as I simply thought of what I knew Caterina was about to tell us. Her voice was breathless and filled with ancient pain when she began to speak once more. "It was extremely hard, harder than I can describe with words, to turn around and leave." My head snapped up in confusion as I stared incredulously at her pain-filled expression. That was not the outcome I had been anticipating. The only newborn I knew of that had been able to resist the instinct to hunt within their first day of being 'born' was, well, me. I glanced up to find Edward staring down at me, his own face frozen in an incredulous mask, which I am sure was an identical replica of my own stiff features. Shaking my head as though to clear it, I focused once more on Caterina's words. "To this day I am still not sure how I managed to leave but somehow I did. I was absolutely revolted by myself, and that emotion seemed to be stronger than all of my other desires combined. I am positive that this must have been the one factor that allowed me to resist the temptation, yet I do not understand how I was able to flee as I did. I wandered aimlessly for a few days, traveling solely by night, and hiding during the day, disgusted by myself. I resisted my body's need, refraining from hunting, yet each day I grew weaker, and I knew that no matter what, I was going to crack soon. I knew that at any moment it could be too late, and an innocent bystander might wander to close…It was true that it was better that I have a faceless stranger rather than my Roberto, or my Maria. However, all I could think about was that whoever the unfortunate unknown stranger would be, they would be somebody else's Maria or Roberto, and that thought tormented me the entire time I stayed in hiding. On my fourth night I ran into some scouts for the Volturi. I hadn't even noticed that during my night's amblings I had walked straight into the middle of Volterra."

I stiffened immediately at the mention of the Volturi, my mind momentarily clouded by my own terrifying memories of the vampire royal family. I struggled to clear my mind, trying to pull my thoughts back to the present and Caterina's story.

"I stayed with the Volturi for thirty long years, hating every moment of my existence. I never hated myself more though, then after I fed. I mourned each time I ate, hating myself with a vicious passion, each time I stole an innocent human life. It was thirty long years before my reprise came. I was wandering through the halls of the Volturi's hideout when I heard Marcus, Aro and Caius discussing Aro's friend Carlisle Cullen." Nine pairs of eternal eyes glanced towards Carlisle as she spoke.

"They were discussing his 'vegetarian' diet, and their astonishment of how he and his family could follow through with such an unappetizing way of life. They called him a compassionate fool, while they muttered on about him turning his back on his very nature."

Caterina' soft bell-like laughter echoed around the room, as she finally opened her eyes.

"I saw differently. Although they didn't know it, Marcus, Aro and Caius threw me a life line that day. They saved me from my own depression and my bout of self-loathing. I left Volterra that very day, in search of my own isolated place where I could pass my endless days in the same way as the mysterious Cullen family did. I was going back through my home town, entirely oblivious to the human war around me. I had spent the last three decades wrapped up nice and tight with Aro's small circle of protectors, so I was completely unaware of what was going on in the world." She flashed a rueful grin towards us. "I am gifted as well. I can immediately tell what 'gift' a person has and when they are using it."

She paused dramatically letting that information sink in as we all realized that she would be very aware of how all of us were using our gifts at that very instant. She would know that Jasper was controlling the emotions in the room, and that Edward was keeping tabs on her and her husband's mind, while I was protecting us all, and of course she would know how tiny Alice was keeping an eye out for anything that might change in the future.

"I also get sort of have an intuition, or a feeling-whatever you wish to call it- about how to stop that certain individual from using their powers. I guess you could say I have a knack for finding everyone's weakness." She flashed us another dazzling smile, although there was nothing hostile about her friendly expression. "As I am sure all of you can guess, Aro decided I would be useful, and he did not allow me to be destroyed when his scouts originally brought me back to face him. Instead, I was granted a high place in his ring of protectors." We all nodded in unison as we recognized the truth in her words. That sounded very much like something Aro would do. I grimaced as I remembered too vividly his enthusiasm with collecting people with unique and special talents. He had once wished to make Edward, Alice, Renesme and I part of his living, or perhaps a better term would be existing, collection. I shivered once, as the faded, cloudy human memory of Edward and Alice shrouded in long flowing cloaks, and piercing crimson eyes stared at me, before pulling my thoughts back to the room around me.

"I was passing through, hoping I might be able to catch a glimpse of my family before I forced myself to live in isolation forever. I knew I was strong enough that I wouldn't endanger them, however I had no intentions of facing them. I simply wished to observe them...one last time. My thoughts were focused solely on them, as I pondered how they would have changed in the past years. I was so lost in my own mind I didn't even notice the sirens signaling an air raid. I was walking slowly; any human might have matched my pace, when Alessondro found me, looking absolutely dashing in his uniform." She turned to face her husband, her eyes soft as she smiled, her hand reaching out to take his.

"That is when the bombing started," she continued with her story, her eyes hardening slightly, as her voice became sad once more. "The next thing I knew Alessondro was lying bleeding in the street, while I was stuck under half of a car. I could only see his face, the blood running rapidly down his cheek, pooling on the ground. I rushed over, staring hopelessly at his broken body. I could barely hear the faint sound of his heartbeat as he struggled to breathe. The pull to feed was so strong, with his blood soaking into the earth, yet somehow when I looked into his pain-filled eyes; I knew I couldn't kill him. M decision was made before I had even consciously decided to, and I bent over him, biting his neck as gently as I could, letting his system absorb my venom. I carried him over to a half destroyed building where I waited with him until his transformation was complete. When he awoke, I was luckier than I could ever possibly have dreamed. He was perfect for me; we got along together so well. We moved here after a while, isolating ourselves from humans until we were both able to interact with them normally, and to abide faithfully by our strict animal diet. Fifty years later we went to the adoption agencies and that was how we came by Aliza. She was a newborn baby at the time and the agency was having troubles finding her a home. We were both delighted to have a child of our very own, and although she didn't necessarily have an average childhood, we were very happy. She filled the hole in my heart that had been left when I was forced to abandon my other children, and although I never once forgot about them, she helped ease the pain I had carried with me for a century. She doesn't visit often now; she lives in Toronto with her husband and children." Caterina looked up at us, her face alight with joy, while she picked up a small photograph of a young, human baby boy. He had blonde hair, and bright blue eyes, with a small dimple in each of his plump cheeks. "She even has a grandchild now. He is such a cute child, so happy. Of course we can only see the children when they are young and won't remember us. We do not wan to put them in danger of the Volturi, you see. But still, we are very fortunate to even have the opportunity to have the semblance of a family."

She hugged Alessondro tightly, wrapping her thin arms around his waist as she finished her story. I glanced up at Edward's face, squeezing his hand lightly. I too knew what it felt like to be extremely fortunate.

_Have you all seen the movie??? I thought it was good (of course nothing compared to the books…but I mean what movie ever is), but it was still amazing!!! I think Rob and Kristen did a great job, and of course KELLAN!!!! lol On a different note, I hope you all liked this chapter!!!! I hope to be able to update soon, but December is such a crazy month that unfortunately I can't make any promises!!!! Thank you though for sticking through the wait and continuing to read on!!!!! Please review!!! _:D

_Princess Ly_


	13. National Debt

Chapter 12:

_Disclaimer: If I owned any of this I would be amazingly talented and famous…since I am neither amazingly talented nor famous I am fairly certain that you have already deduced that I own nothing! However Stephenie Meyer __**is**__ both amazingly talented as well as famous so in short, once again as I am sure you know, everything belongs to her!! _=D

The drive home was silent, each of us absorbed in our own thoughts. The dark night pressed down on us, transforming the world into new and vivid colours, as Edward raced through the small town. I thought back to our meeting, going over every detail in my mind. After we had listened to Caterina's heartbreaking story, Carlisle told of his own beginning and then of how he had created Edward, Esme and later Rose. We all told our own stories, although mine was the one that Caterina and Alessondro found the most fascinating. They were amazed and even shocked that I had been able not only to interact with the Cullens, knowing full well what they were, but that I had also fallen in love with Edward, and through him become a member of their family.

They had asked endless questions, completely absorbed with each insignificant detail of my previous life. I answered each of their questions patiently, while trying to decide whether or not to tell them of Renesme, although I knew it was altogether hopeless that her secret could stay private, since Alessondro was bound to meet her sometime in school. Still, I worried whether it was better to forewarn them first, or get to know them better and allow them more time to learn to trust us. In the end Edward had made the decision for me, he obviously had deduced by their thoughts that we had nothing to fear from them. Together we told them about our daughter, and although it took some convincing, Edward assured me that they believed us. I smiled to myself as I thought of their reactions. Once they were convinced that Renesme was indeed half-vampire and half-human, they were excited and even more fascinated by her than they had been by me-which personally, I felt was the way it should be. I chuckled softly, thinking of how they had practically begged to meet her at that precise moment.

I glanced at the dashboard, relieved to see that it was only one in the morning. The little green numbers were somehow calming, almost as useful as Jasper's gift, when I thought about the fact that I still had the better part of the night to check on my daughter and to spend with Edward. I sighed letting myself rove over the possibilities. My spacious mind was suddenly occupied with the very thought of Edward. His lips against mine, the smooth, soft texture of his skin…

"What are you thinking about?" he murmured. His soft voice pulled me from my thoughts, as I turned my head to face him. He was staring at me, his topaz eyes suddenly intense, his whole body turned towards me; only his left hand resting on the steering wheel kept the car in the exact middle of the lane. I smiled softly, taking his hand, but instead of telling him, I pushed my shield away, concentrating on him, only him. I heard his quick intake of breath, and I knew it was working. I squeezed his hand once while I let the images of him flood my mind.

"Bella," he breathed, his soft lips pressing fervently against mine, breaking my concentration. I reached up to entwine my hand in his hair, giddy with anticipation.

"Uhhh, I am still in the car you know!" Emmett's booming voice called from the backseat. I broke away from Edward, sighing regretfully.

"As soon as we're home," he promised, his golden eyes smoldering. I clutched his hand, nodding. Peering out the window I realized that we were not far at all, another minute and we'd be back at our house.

"Thank goodness you guys don't share the same house." Emmett muttered from the backseat, "Because then I'd be forced to listen to you two discussing the national debt all night long." I growled softly at him, the sound deep and menacing. He just chuckled.

"Oooo scary. You know you aren't stronger than I am anymore little sis!

"Yes, lucky for you." I grumbled. Edward pulled smoothly into our driveway, cutting the engine off abruptly. I hopped out of the car at once, eager to get away from Emmett before he really hit a nerve.

"Have fun you two! Don't get too excited, but a re-run of the Simpsons is on tonight, so at least you'll have some entertainment!" Emmett called as he raced towards the big house.

"Yeah you better run," I muttered. His deep, booming laugh filled the night. Of course I hadn't factored Edward into the equation. With a loud thump Emmett keeled over into the grass, Edward perched on top of him, growling menacingly.

"Ow! Yeesh I was just kidding Ed. Aw come on let me up. Rose will be mad!" Edward just laughed softly.

"Apologize to Bella," Edward taunted, his voice amused.

"Fine! I'm sorry Bells! There, is that better? Come on, let me go!" Emmett growled, clearly getting annoyed. I snickered; too bad Nessie wasn't awake to see this.

"Let him go Edward!" I said, "I can think of something more worthwhile for you to be doing." Edward was immediately at my side, his movement so fast not even my perceptive eyes could see him. I heard the wind blow past him and the grass bend beneath his feet, but my eyes couldn't follow him. His arms wrapped around my waist pulling me tightly to his chest. I heard Emmett run towards the house, no doubt off to complain to Rose.

"Shall we?" Edward whispered in my ear. I nodded against his chest, turning to press my lips to the hollow at the base of his throat. The ground whooshed out from under me, as Edward swept me up in his arms, carrying me into the house. Before I could protest, he bent his head to whisper softly once more in my ear.

"Thresholds are still part of my job description."

I sighed, every part of my body filled with longing, as I stretched in his arms to press my lips against his. My hands twined in his hair, pulling his face closer as our kiss deepened. We both heard the unmistakable sound of the fridge door opening at the same time. I sighed, staring into his burning eyes, trying to prolong our moment.

"It's just Jake." Edward murmured, his soft lips against my ear. "I can go tell him to leave." Although the offer was definitely tempting, I sighed once more before springing down from Edward's arms. I wasn't going to kick Jake out. I grabbed Edward's hand as we walked towards the kitchen.

"You know we're almost out of food Bells." Jake said as we entered the room. He was stooped over, his back towards us, as he reached into the back of the emerged quickly, cramming half a sandwich into his mouth as he straightened.

"Yeah I know," I sighed, feeling bad. "I'll go tomorrow before school, the store opens early. But why are you up so late Jake, don't you have work tomorrow?"

"I was sleeping on the couch when Emmett's whining woke me up." He grumbled, reaching for a two liter bottle of Coke. I frowned disapprovingly but didn't comment on his late night-or I guess early morning-drink. He took a swig from the bottle, draining it completely before tossing the empty container in the recycling bag.

"Ok well I am off to bed." He announced, walking towards the door.

"Hold on one moment Jacob." Edward said his voice suddenly hostile. Jake turned around surprised, before walking slowly back to us. He leaned against the counter crossing his arms. Instead of continuing to speak, Edward turned around and headed towards the stairs. Jake and I looked at each other perplexed. Edward was back in a matter of seconds, his face livid. Jacob raised his eyebrows, obviously confused as to what was upsetting Edward.

"Why is there a fresh trail of your scent all the way up the stairs leading to Nessie's room?" Edward demanded, his voice threatening.

I sighed once, reaching up to rub Edward's shoulder, attempting to soothe him. Although I wasn't completely thrilled that my daughter had such a serious boyfriend when she was really only seven years old, I was resigned to the fact that no matter what, she would end up with Jacob. I had even lately become very tolerant of their relationship. Edward however was not.

"Oh that." Jake muttered, "She just was lonely that's all?"

I cringed slightly at the nonchalant tone in his voice, and tried not to picture what the two of them had been doing while we were gone. I peeked up at Edward's face, anticipating his reaction. Edward's expression was different though then what I would have thought. His features softened, becoming a mask of pain instead of anger.

"She was really that scared?" Edward whispered. I looked quickly at Jake's face and then back to Edward's. He had obviously heard more in Jake's thoughts then what Jake had said.

"I swear I didn't tell her," Jake murmured, "But she is smart. She figured out herself that your meeting with the other bloodsuckers could have been a trap laid out by the Volturi. I have never seen her so scared."

My breath caught in my throat as I pictured my daughter curled up in her bed, wondering when or if we'd come home. I had tried to protect her by not telling her all of the potential dangers this meeting had posed but like Jake said she was smart enough to figure them out for herself. My own silent heart ached at the pain my daughter must have suffered tonight. I too knew how hard it was to sit at home and wait, wondering if the ones you loved were going to come back. I was suddenly very grateful for Jacob's presence in her life.

"Thank you Jacob for comforting her." I murmured.

"Of course I would comfort her." Jake answered, his husky voice tender. He stepped closer to me, putting his burning hand under my chin. "I'd do anything for her."

I nodded, blinking hard against the tears that would never come.

"I am going to go sleep now." He said, dropping his hand.

"See you in the morning Jake." I whispered, leaning into Edward's side.

"Actually you won't! I took the early morning shift at work tomorrow. I'll be long gone by the time you guys are ready in the morning."

"Oh!" I bit my lip thoughtfully. "I'll bring you some food then at work once I am done grocery shopping."

"Sweet! Thanks Bells!" He said looking genuinely pleased. He mock punched Edward's arm, before bending to kiss my forehead.

" 'Night guys!" he said turning around for the door.

"Good night Jacob." I whispered.

_So this is officially the last time I will ever update in the year 2008! I am so sorry for taking this long to update but like I had predicted December was chaotic, and unfortunately with exams January doesn't look much better. However, maybe, just maybe if I get enough reviews I may update before the break is over! So please review! Lol =_D _Thank you though to everyone who has kept reading this! I hope you all have a great and safe night. Happy New Year Everyone!!!!_

_Princess Ly_


	14. Mother's touch

_Disclamer: I own nothing, it all belong to Stephenie Meyer who sadly is not me._

Chapter 13:

We both listened to Jacob's retreating footsteps; neither of us moving as we waited for the light thud of Jake's steps as he climbed the stairs of his porch and the muted bump as his door softly closed. I turned to face Edward then, breaking the silence. Resting my arms on his shoulders I looked him in the eye.

"Renesme will be sleeping soundly by now." I murmured making my voice casual.

"Yes she will most defiantly be sound asleep by now," he agreed, his topaz eyes regaining the burning intensity from earlier.

"So we can always talk to her tomorrow about her worries, no need to wake her now, right?" I asked a little breathlessly, my attempt at nonchalance completely gone. Instead of answering me, he pulled me up in his arms, cradling me to his chest, as his lips pressed against mine in urgent desire. I pulled myself closer, inhaling his sweet scent, as my tongue traced the sweet, flawless shape of his lips. I barely noticed as he climbed the staircase, crossing the hallway to our bedroom door. I did however, notice the rapid fluttering of a beating heart coming from our bedroom, opposed to the one across the hall. I pulled away from Edward, sighing internally. Would we not get a chance to be by ourselves at all tonight? He set me gently on my feet, before pushing our bedroom door open. I softened immediately as I saw my daughter sprawled across our bed, her legs tangled in the thick covers. Her beautiful face was peaceful as she slumbered, her breathing quiet and even, although faster than that of a normal human. I smiled warmly, crossing the short distance to the bed in a few seconds. I knelt on the floor beside the mattress, not wanting to disturb her. I felt the air stir as Edward came to kneel beside me, his warm hand resting on the small of my back. I leaned in to press my lips to my daughter's flushed cheek, stroking her tousled bronze curls with slow, practiced movements. She stirred slightly under my touch, and I automatically pulled my hand away not wanting to wake her. She opened her eyes sleepily, blinking twice as her chocolate gaze focused.

"Hi," she whispered, a small smile lighting her entire face.

"Hey," I murmured, gently smoothing her curls away from her face. "Sorry we woke you." I apologized, feeling a little guilty.

"No, no it's fine." She promised. "I should probably go back to my own bed now huh? I am sorry; it just felt so lonely without you guys in the house." She tried to sit up, but I pushed her softly back down onto the pillows.

"Don't worry sweetheart," Edward said, bending to press his lips against her forehead.

"Go back to sleep. Will it help if I stay with you?" I offered.

"No that's ok mom." She shook her head tiredly. "You spend the night with daddy." I could see the panic in her eyes though as she spoke the words. She was trying to be brave, trying to give Edward and me the night to ourselves, but I could see how much pain it would cause her to be alone tonight. It was just too much after everything that had happened; she didn't want to feel alone no matter how temporary. Edward seemed to sense the same thing, or maybe he heard it in her thoughts.

"No you stay with your mother." Edward said persuasively, his velvet voice soft. "Jazz, Esme and Alice were going hunting and I was already thinking of going with them tonight. I needed to go soon anyways." He lied smoothly, his tone convincing, although the light colouring of his eyes suggested otherwise. Renesme nodded sleepily, her eyes already closed. Edward bent to kiss her forehead before brushing his lips against mine. He smiled regretfully, before launching himself out of our window and racing towards the big house.

I crawled into bed beside her, staying above the covers so she wouldn't be chilled. She rolled over in response, nestling her head on my shoulder. Automatically I wrapped my arms around her pulling her close. It was odd but even after all this time she still fit perfectly in my arms, as though they really were meant just for her. I held her through the night; silently comforting her while she slept.

I stared at her closed eyelids, noticing just how innocent, how vulnerable she seemed. Even though she was physically almost me own age, she was still technically only seven. She had grown up so fast. Not only in physical appearance, but mentally as well; she never really had a lot of time to simple be a child. Yet as I held her I realized that in a way she was still just an average seven year. She was still just a little girl in need of her mother's comfort and love. I smiled softly, enjoying the thought that even though she was grown, and that she belonged to Jake in a baffling yet undeniable way, she was still mine too. My little nudger. The very one I had fought so hard to protect. She stirred softly in my arms, her bronze hair brushing against my face. I held her closer, inhaling her sweet, unique scent. She sighed softly in her sleep, her eyelids fluttering ever so slightly. Curious, I reached out and grabbed her hand, pressing it to my cheek. Enthralled, I focused on her dreams. They were surreal, yet beautiful. It showed an image of us, the Cullens and Jake in a beautiful meadow, quite similar to mine and Edward's meadow, where we had taken Nessie many times before. The setting was so beautiful, the sun was shining and everything, from the trees and flowers, to the soft grass, was lush and bright. I held my daughter's hand tighter, relishing as I dreamed with her.

It ended all too soon. My eyes flickered unwillingly to the alarm clock. It seemed that my night with my daughter had ended all too soon. Groaning, I released me Renesme's hand, propping myself up on my elbow so I could whisper gently in her ear.

"Wake up honey," I said, pressing my lips to her cheek. "It's time to get ready for school." She rolled over in response, entangling herself further in the bedding. I dropped my arms, watching her intently. Waking Nessie was never an easy task. She sighed once before opening her eyes. Her warm chocolate gaze appraised me, her expression resigned. She sighed once more before kicking herself free from the knotted sheets, staggering to a stand. She turned back to face me, her eyes soft.

"Thanks for staying with me Momma," She whispered.

"Anytime baby."

I watched as she stumbled for the door, knowing that she wouldn't like it if I offered to carry her. She was like me and didn't like to be thought of as weak or incapable. Of course that didn't help much when Edward was in one of his over-protective moods. Before she reached the door, Edward was already there, leaning casually against the doorframe.

"Good morning angel." He said studying her sluggish walk, my favourite crooked grin stretched across his face. She smiled briefly, before stumbling again.

"Do you want me to carry you?" he offered, suddenly concerned. I rolled my eyes; of course he would ask.

"No dad, I'll make it." She mumbled, moving past him into the hallway. He leaned back a bit to watch her, probably making sure she made it to her room without falling down the stairs. I could here her stumbling around in her closet, yanking out clothing. Edward chuckled lightly and I couldn't help but laugh with him. As long as she didn't crawl back into bed, we might actually get an early start this morning. I heard the air whistle past, and smelt Edward's wonderful sun-honey-lilac scent come closer, before my perceptive eyes found him. He lay on top of me, every inch of him pressing against my own body. His strong, smooth hands cradled my face.

"How is it that you can wake up Nessie without her throwing a fit?" He demanded, his tone playful.

"Mother's touch." I answered, my voice teasing. I winked, my lips stretching into a slow, seductive smile. He flashed my favourite crooked grin, before crushing his lips to mine. We picked up where we had left off last night, neither of us able to fulfill our desire. I clutched myself closer, completely overwhelmed by his hands, his skin, his scent.

"Jake and Nessie's breakfast," I mumbled against his lips. Yet I pulled him closer, even while I was telling him how come I needed to leave.

"Jake can cook," he murmured against my jaw, before pressing his lips to mine.

"Store!" I gasped trying to convince myself that I had to leave. He groaned, pushing himself away. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet with him.

"I know." He said, clutching me closer for one moment before pulling away to open the doors to our unbelievably enormous closet-courtesy of Alice. I picked his shirt off of the floor from where it had fallen after it had been hastily removed a few minutes earlier. I crumpled it into a ball in, before lobbing it at the large bag in the back of our staggering closet-the bag was destined for Goodwill.

"Nice shot," Edward commented lightly, reaching up to grab a pale gray V-neck from the top rack.

"Thanks," I mumbled, not really paying attention. I moved towards the new set of drawers Alice had installed the other day in the far wall beside the Goodwill bag. I didn't know what was inside exactly, but if I had to guess I would say it was probably our new "supply" of clothing. I opened the top drawer, it smelled promisingly of stretch-cotton. As I ruffled through the white and beige articles I realized that these shirts were all men's. I was about to close the drawer when something bright in the far corner caught me eye. I reached back and caught the small object in my hand. I studied it closely, holding it to my eye for a better look-completely unnecessary of course since my eyes had already seen every small detail about the tiny item. What was this doing in the drawer?

"Edward?" I asked hesitantly, spinning around to face my husband. "What is this?"

_Oooh a cliffy!! Can you guys guess what it is??? Ok I'll give you a hint… kind of. If you've read midnight sun on Stephenie Meyer's website you may know what I am talking about!! So come on guys, tell me your guesses!!! I won't UD until I get some decent attempts…so review and guess!!!!!! Lol hope u all had a great holiday!!!!_

_Princess Ly_


	15. Souvenir

Chapter 14:

_Disclaimer: I own nothing! Although I'd like to pretend I am Stephenie Meyer, on this site I must, unfortunately, pull myself from my own little fantasy world and admit that I am not Stephenie Meyer. *sigh*_

_AN: Congratulations to everybody who guessed right! I must however applaud each and every one of you that took the time to review as well as to guess what the mysterious object may be. I loved reading all of your answers, and I truly enjoyed a lot of the stuff many of you came up with! I am not quite as creative as all of you so I kind of feel silly posting this, since the answer is not nearly interesting or amusing compared to what some of you guessed. (Hopefully you won't be too disappointed!) But seriously I love you all!!!! You guys are awesome, and thanks so much for taking the time to read my stuff. It truly means a lot to me! And now the moment you have all anxiously awaited has arrived. The answer is (drumroll) da da da duh... Nah I'm just kidding! You're going to have to read to find out! :P Anyways please read on, and as always feel free to review! lol seriously I love getting them! Thx a lot!_

Edward looked up, startled by my tone. I bounced the small, bright blue bottle cap in my hand, searching his face. His eyes narrowed, his gaze zeroing in on the indigo-coloured bottle cap, as I tossed it lightly between my hands. I tried to keep my expression casual and unconcerned, but on the inside my spacious mind was reeling. _Why did he have a bottle cap stashed in his shirt drawer?_

His face relaxed, a small smile tugging at his flawless lips, as he watched the colourful bottle cap twirl around my fingers. I felt the tension automatically leave my body as he smiled, my own gaze trailing back to the minute object. The small, rational part of my mind realized that I was being completely ridiculous. _Why did I find this tiny_, _inoffensive object so threatening? What did it mean anyways?_ I almost laughed at my own folly. _I was over-reacting entirely. This meant absolutely nothing! It might not even belong to Edward! The cap was probably already in the drawer before Alice even placed our clothing in it. The tiny object was so small, that if Alice wasn't paying attention, and it was in the dark shadows, she probably wouldn't even have noticed it. _Comforted by that thought, I focused my gaze once again on Edward. I was about to apologize when I noticed the far away expression frozen across his features. I stared at him curiously, as the distant look in his eyes slowly faded, his golden gaze staring straight into mine, a small smile playing at the corners of his full lips.

"It is yours." he whispered simply, his velvet voice filled with muted passion.

"Mine?" _What was he talking about?_

"Yes," he answered, instantly appearing at my side. Gently he took the bottle cap from my frozen hand. Stunned, I simply watched him, silently demanding an explanation.

"Do you remember that first day you ate lunch with me? Back in Forks, that fateful day in the High School Cafeteria. Such a short time ago, yet in many ways an entire eternity has passed since then." He murmured quietly, not seeming to talk to me at all. His gaze focused on something other than the room around us, his topaz eyes filled with emotion. He looked down at me, suddenly coming back to the present.

"Do you remember?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," I whispered. My mind instantly replayed the hazy human memory, the images blotting out all else. I was lost in the sound of his velvet voice heard through weak human ears, his dazzling smile seen through dim, cloudy human eyes. "Of course I remember."

_I had been so disappointed when I hadn't seen him sitting at his usual table with the rest of his family. I had no longer desired food, my human hunger replaced by another one, the ravenous feeling of wanting to see him. I remembered feeling elated when Jessica finally noticed him, as she pointed him out to me. His quick smile as he beckoned me over. I stood up hurriedly, mumbling some excuse to Jessica, grabbing my lemonade bottle…_

I gasped, realizing what he had meant. I gently plucked the bottle cap from his marble hands, my eyes holding onto his. He watched me intently, his expression giving nothing away.

"Why did you keep it?" I wondered, lazily bouncing the cap once again on my palm.

"A souvenir." he answered, his eyes bright. I grinned; the answer was so obvious, yet also sweet and touching. I was glad that he had wanted to keep a piece of me with him, even during those complicated times, when neither of us knew exactly what would happen. I too, had wanted a souvenir, although his very presence had been my own personal treasure.

"You have me entirely though." I pointed out. "Isn't that better than any souvenir?"

He knew I was only teasing, yet he answered my joking question as though I expected a serious answer.

"Much better," he murmured, his strong arms snaking around my waist. "You have no idea how happy I am to know that those days are behind us." He sighed softly, pulling me closer. "I love not having to worry anymore. Just being able to focus on the two of us being together is my own personal heaven. It is so much more than I ever expected to have. I never used to let myself even think of being able to have you the way I do now."

"Forever," I reminded him.

"That sounds perfect." He bent his head, pressing his lips against mine, crushing me to his chest.

"Mom!" Renesme's voice shattered the silence. "If you don't get breakfast soon, I will be forced to go to the neighbour's!"

Edward chuckled softly, as he reluctantly pulled away.

"You had better go," he said, his butterscotch eyes dancing. "She isn't thinking about asking the poor neighbour for rice crispies. She is sending me a very vivid mental picture of her attacking the defenseless, unsuspecting townsfolk."

* * *

I pulled into the driveway, the tires squealing against the pavement as I hastily slammed on the brakes. I had already brought Jake his food, but if I didn't hurry Nessie would be eating breakfast in the car. I jumped out of the vehicle, slamming the door behind me as I hurriedly grabbed the groceries out of the back seat. Juggling the many bags, I raced towards the front door, easily reaching the doorstep, before the heavy rain could soak through the brown paper bags. I was about to push the front door open, when I recognized the soft melody drifting out of the house. I paused on the doorstep, my throat tightening as my eyes pricked against tears I couldn't shed. The soothing, familiar sound of my lullaby came from the living room. I easily detected the second melody, as it wove around the familiar notes. Even Edward couldn't play my lullaby exactly like that by himself. I smiled as I finally pushed the front door open, stepping into the room where my husband and daughter welcomed me with my song. I stood in the entry way staring at the two of them seated side by side on the short piano bench. Their pale fingers danced across the ivory keyboards, as their backs slowly swayed in time to the music. As the final note faded they both spun around to face me. Edward smiled slowly, his entire angel face lighting up.

"Yay!" Renesme yelled, "I am starved!"

_Alright so I'll admit this is obviously not my best chap, but hey the whole piano moment was really something I felt needed to be done. I must also add that I am sorry it has taken me so long to update. I had planned to only leave all of you hanging for about a week, but unfortunately life just got in the way. That and of course my real novel which is still in the planning stages. It has always been my dream to write, and to be honest this book just seems like the direction my life is heading towards. Don't worry though, I have not forgotten any of you wonderful people, whom I love very much here on fanfic! Au contraire, I actually have a favour to ask you all. As I have said I am planning my own novel, and the truth is I do need a teensy bit of help from all of you. If you would be so kind as to tell me what you look for in a good book, it would help immensely! I haven't quite decided which direction my book will take, as I am still hammering out the details. So if it is not too much trouble I would love to hear from all of you, about what you think makes a story worth reading!!! Thank you so much! _

_Princess Ly_


	16. Chill

Beginning of Chapter 15 

AN: _Okay so I now it's been FOREVER since I updated and honestly I don't know when I am going to get the chance, but I just found this on my computer and decided I may as well post it. So yeah sorry but this is better than nothing right????Anf if any of you have the time or you just feel like being nice you can go check out my new One Shot called Leaving Jason Behind (yes it is a twilight story lol complete with Bella, Edward, Nessie and Jake) and to be extremely honest I dunno if I am going to finish this story, I am kinda experiencing an extremely rare (for me) writer's block. So I'm sort of doubting whether or not to continue. Do you guys want me to?? Be honest now, tell me if the story has just gotten boring and I'll simply leave it like this, but if you guys do want me to continue, well then how could I deny any of you!!! Haha just no promises on when I'll get it done…especially with exams. So anyways here is what I wrote like two months ago…_

I pushed Nessie's steaming plat of fried eggs towards her, my brow puckering as I wondered if I was spoiling her. It couldn't be healthy to keep allowing her to eat eggs every morning for breakfast. I promised myself that tonight we would take her out hunting, and maybe after school I could get her to eat something green. I pulled out some of the contents of the grocery bags I'd left on the counter in my haste to cook Nessie's breakfast. Opening the refrigerator I shoved them onto shelves, not even looking at what I was holding. I glanced mechanically at the clock as I shut the metal door. We only had fifteen minutes before we had to leave; I heard Edward come into the kitchen and glanced up to see him holding three packed school bags. Well that would definitely save time. I smiled gratefully, before turning to put a box of crackers in the pantry. I could easily speed things up to ensure we were on time, but I thought that the more I practiced human habits the easier it would be to pretend to be human while at school. As I folded up the empty paper grocery bags, I remembered what I had not yet had a chance to ask Nessie.

"So how did that party go last night?" I asked her innocently. In my peripheral vision I saw Edward's grimace.

"Oh! I had almost forgotten all about it because of everything else."

"Well now that you remember, how did it go? Were they nice?" I prompted her; desperate to know what had invoked Edward's obvious displeasure.

"Well it started off pretty boring actually. Everyone was really awkward." She smirked then, chuckling quietly. "Then some kid named Scott showed up bearing presents." Her smirk became more pronounced. Edward groaned.

"Spit it out Ness!" he exclaimed obviously annoyed. "Or at least think about it. You have three seconds young lady before you are grounded," He threatened darkly.

"Okay, okay." Nessie laughed, clearly enjoying herself. "Chill!"

I raised my eyebrows questioningly. "Chill?"

She shrugged, a sweet blush creeping into her cheeks. "Some of the kids were saying it; I thought I'd try it out." She glared at us both. "Now do you want to hear the story or not?"

_Haha kinda ironic that Nessie ends with that line since that is what I am asking you guys. Honest it wasn't planned! Lol _

-Princess Ly


	17. Overreaction

_AN: ok so I know this is WAY later than I thought it would be, but at least I kept up with it the story right?? I'm leaving you all with this, because it is at least something! Anyways I hope you all enjoy, I tried to add some humor._

Disclaimer: If I was Stephenie Meyer I would not be me, and since I am me, I am obviously not Stephenie. So since I am not Stephenie, nothing belongs to me, although I do like to imagine that Edward is mine. But he, like everyone else from this story is sadly Stephenie's characters, who as I have already established is not me. (Did anyone understand that??!!) :D

Chapter 15, Part 2:

I kept my gaze focused on my daughter's face, resisting the urge to glance at Edward's expression.

"Yes, of course we would like to hear what happened last night, sweetie." I said earnestly, keeping my eyes safely averted from Edward's. She took a deep breath as though steeling herself to explain, dropping her eyes down to stare at her plate of eggs. She scooped up a steaming forkful, and placed it carefully in her mouth, chewing slowly, fighting a grin the entire time. I rolled my eyes; she was dragging this out on purpose, simply to prolong our suspense. Unable to resist the powerful urge, I sneaked a glance at Edward's murderous expression. I cleared my throat noisily, and of course unnecessarily.

"Umm, Renesme, darling, I don't think Daddy was kidding about grounding you." I explained in a timid voice, fighting laughter the entire time. I clamped my mouth shut against the bell like giggles. Renesme looked up then, her triumphant expression disappearing immediately as she took in Edward's livid expression. He held up three fingers threateningly.

"Okay, okay! I'll talk!" she said, slightly exasperated. "Yeesh what an overreaction."

Edward lowered one finger. She sighed once and then started her story. Which I figured was wise of her, assuming that she did want to see something other than the school and the interior of her room for the next while.

"Okay, so that Scott kid showed up with a couple of kegs," she explained tiredly, looking up to make sure Edward had stopped his countdown. Edward raised a questioning eyebrow, but besides that said nothing.

"Like a keg of beer." She explained impatiently.

"I do know what a keg is." Edward said, his lips twitching as he too fought a smile. "Please continue."

She sighed once, frustration flashed momentarily across her face. Her expression cleared suddenly, as she stretched her hand out to me, palm facing upward.

"Can I just show you instead?"

_AN: Ok it's short, I know! Sorry…hey have any of you heard that apparently Robert Pattinson reads the Twilight Fanfiction??!!!_


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